


Castiel in the Bunker

by Athena_Ergane



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel in the Bunker, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Fallen Castiel, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Frottage, Humor, Illnesses, M/M, Men of Letters Bunker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-30
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-13 09:56:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/822964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athena_Ergane/pseuds/Athena_Ergane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After giving up on the trials, Sam and Dean find Castiel lost, empty, and human. They take him back to the bunker to their broken hunter family. Kevin is livid. Sam is sick. Dean is worried. Yet, all three men find time to teach Castiel something new about being human. They bond through their lessons with Cas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lessons with Dean

**Author's Note:**

  * For [holymotherof](https://archiveofourown.org/users/holymotherof/gifts).
  * Translation into Italiano available: [Castiel nel Bunker](https://archiveofourown.org/works/881625) by [thejourneyseemsendless](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejourneyseemsendless/pseuds/thejourneyseemsendless)



> Contains spoilers for all of season 8. This fic exists purely to be shameless Bunker Family fluff, emphasis on Cas being an adorable human. There's minimal Dean/Cas (or not?), so you can ignore it if you don't like it. I don't really have plans to play up the Destiel... _yet._ There's probably going to be three chapters of this fic. This work is also inspired by "Hunter Lesson" by ~glaringstar on DA and the conversation that transpired because of it, in which Psyfilover motivated me to write this! This fic takes place after "Sacrifice." Enjoy!

 

They found Castiel on the side of the road on their way to the bunker. He was staring up at the sky, his eyes wide and pained. Long after his essence had been ripped from his body and all of his brothers and sisters had fallen from the sky, Castiel remained, staring up at the stars. He was in such a state of shock that he didn't hear the Impala tear to a stop behind him. Dean ran out, calling his name desperately while Sam rested, half-awake in the car.

"Cas! You okay? What happened?" Dean shook the other man gently by his shoulders so he would focus on his face. Castiel finally stared at Dean, aghast.

"He took it," Cas whispered, quivering. "My grace. He took it… It's my fault they all fell. I was the final piece. It was me… Again… It was me."

"What'd you mean – ?" Dean inhaled a breath, dismayed by the anguish in Castiel's large, clear blue eyes. He knew exactly what Cas meant, but he wasn't ready to believe it. _Metatron_. "Metatron did this."

"I don't feel well. Being human is so very… tire… some…" Castiel's eyelids fluttered slowly before he swooned.

"Shit! Shit, shit!" Dean cursed, managing to catch Castiel before he hit the ground. Sam peaked his head out of the window and saw his brother propping Cas up by hooking his arms beneath his shoulders.

Castiel was graceless and Dean didn't know what to do. All the angels had fallen and he didn't know what would become of them. He was beyond furious at Metatron for having deceived Cas and rendered him into a hollow, weakened shell of himself. Quietly, to himself, Dean mused, "Sammy's in the car, maybe dying. Cas is human."

A human that just fainted. Cas _fainted_.

"Must be Thursday," Dean grumbled and dragged Castiel to the Impala. He dumped him into the backseat and dialed Kevin's cell phone to fill him in on the situation. Sam stirred and questioned Dean about Cas, but he was still too unwell to pay attention for long. Sam heard Kevin's voice screaming from the other end of the phone line.

" _What do you mean you didn't close the gates?!"_

The conversation that transpired between Dean and Kevin over the phone was exhausting to listen to. It was full of shouting and rage, but by the time they reached the bunker, Kevin was ready to receive them. When he saw Sam, Kevin frowned.

"You look like shit," he said to Sam.

"I think I'm dying," Sam groaned softly and pitifully.

"You're not dying! Nobody's dying! You didn't finish the trials, so you'll be fine," Dean growled and hurried to open the door to lift Cas out of the backseat of the car. Kevin heaved a heavy sigh and joined Sam to help him hobble towards the bunker. It was odd to see such a gigantic man so helpless.

"Thanks, Kevin…" Sam sniffled. "I'm sorry. I should have done it anyway. I should have gone through with it. All the work you did to translate the tablet…"

"Save your breath," Kevin replied.

This wasn't what Dean had imagined would be the conclusion of their mission to close the Gates of Hell. They had checked the church after watching the angels fall from the sky. Crowley had disappeared. They didn't know if he was a human or a demon or if he had run away on his own or with assistance.

Dean felt awkward carrying Castiel because he was normally such a strong being. The former angel was out like a light, half-draped over his shoulder. Dean could only be thankful that they were all still alive. He had to believe that Sam would get better and that he could keep Cas safe.

* * *

"You really think there's another way?"

"Yes! There has to be, Kevin!"

Castiel woke up on what he thought was a couch. When he cracked his eyes open, he realized he was resting on a vintage chaise longue that Dean had dragged into the main room of the bunker. The frame was of dark, ornately carved wood and the cushions were ivory colored with patterns of ivy stitched into the cloth. The Men of Letters certainly had style.

"My mother _died_. My girlfriend died for this!" Kevin railed, not caring that Sam was in a horrible state, listening to every word he said. The excuse that Sam would have died if he had completed the trials had not gone over well with the boy that had lost the people closest to him for the same goal. "No offense Sam, but if our places had been switched, I would have done it."

"Well, we can't go back now!" Dean argued. He hadn't given a single thought to Kevin's sacrifices when he had talked Sam down from surrendering his life. In spite of everything, Dean couldn't regret having Sam alive. "What's done is done."

"What's done is done," Kevin mocked. "And now you want me to translate another tablet you can ultimately ignore."

"Dean, it's okay," Sam groaned when he saw his brother ready to go into another tirade with Kevin. "It's not fair, Kev. Nothing's fair. I would go back now if I could, but I can't. I'm sorry. But, you're the only one that can help now. If that tablet has anti-angel spells like the demon tablet had anti-demon spells, we could use them on Metatron – "

Sam's vision blurred momentarily. Though he continued to live, he also continued to feel ill. He guessed the effects of the trials would take a while to be reversed.

"You okay?" Dean asked Sam and his brother nodded. Fixing his attention back on Kevin, Dean said, "We've got bigger fish to fry than Crowley right now. This Meta-asshole's taken over Heaven. You've gotta help."

Finally, Dean noticed Castiel was awake. He stiffened at the sight of his newly human friend. Kevin and Sam's eyes were drawn to the chaise longue, following Dean's line of vision. Conscious all together at last, they made for a wretched foursome. They were sick, livid, depressed, and confused. Cas took in Sam, languishing in a chair. He noticed how agitated Kevin was and how vexed and incensed Dean was. The first thing human Castiel offered to the conversation was to Sam. "I'm glad you're alive," he said.

Sam smiled the tiniest smile he could muster, "Right back at ya."

"Alright, I'll do it," Kevin grumbled. He eyed Dean suspiciously. "But I'm staying here and I'm taking the big room."

"That's Sam's room!"

"It's okay… You can have it," Sam said, knowing that they both owed Kevin more than they could ever give. As soon as Sam was well enough he would do whatever he could to make Kevin's stay more comfortable. "You said so yourself, Dean. We should have had him stay with us a long time ago. He's the prophet. He should have the biggest room. We have lots of other rooms for me to pick from."

"You even think about dumping me on another boat, and I'll walk. With the tablet." Kevin huffed and stalked away from all the other men.

Cas moved gingerly, like he was afraid he would break all his fragile human bones if he made just one wrong move. It felt unusual to faint. He felt slow, feeble, and disorientated. "Thank you…" He said to both of the brothers. "You didn't have to take me in."

"The hell we didn't," Dean remarked.

"I've just caused another monumental problem that's going to effect humanity on a global scale."

"It wasn't your fault, Cas," Sam said. He knew Cas didn't think he deserved asylum after having had a role in causing so much trouble yet again, but Cas didn't belong anywhere else. "You didn't know Metatron was manipulating you."

"I never know," Castiel swallowed. "That's exactly why it's my fault."

Naomi had been right, Cas thought. He had come off the line with a crack in his chassis. To be so stupid, he was certain he must have been dropped on his head as a child. Repeatedly.

"Alright, that's enough. I can't have the two of you, with all of this – " Dean sputtered, gesturing between his brother and Cas, " _Self-loathing_. Sammy, you're alive, and I wouldn't have you any other way. And, Cas – Cas, you… I'm glad you're here. We'll find out exactly what's going on and we'll get Metatron, I promise you."

Dean had been prepared to never see Cas again. He had been prepared to have his best friend apart from Sam seal himself off in another realm forever. All he had wanted was to ask him to stay, but he hadn't. Now was not the right time to express joy that instead of being severed from him for eternity, Cas had become human. Dean knew having his grace removed had to be a deeply traumatic event, but he had to make Cas see the bright side of things. "You've got us. We want you to stay here," Dean said, "And being human isn't all that bad."

"Some of my best friends are human," Cas responded wryly in a quiet tone. He couldn't feel his wings, not even broken, burnt nubs. Cas felt like his wings had been surgically removed, without leaving a trace that they had ever been there.

"Look, we'll get your wings back," Dean promised. "But in the meantime, we've got a lot of other stuff to do. Don't worry, we'll help you with, uh… human… stuff."

"Sam needs more help than I do," Cas stated and got up to approach the Winchesters. As much as his heart broke from having lost a piece of himself violently, he was more concerned for Sam than he was for himself.

Sam squirmed as Castiel invaded his personal space. "I wasn't sure if I was getting better, but I don't feel like I'm dying anymore. Sitting here has helped."

Cas touched his face, wishing he still had his powers. "You're hot," he remarked.

"That thing you said," Dean interrupted. "About Sam being changed. About him being damaged beyond anything you could fix…Well, he's gonna get better now, right? He stopped the trials so he ought to be good."

"I don't know, Dean," Castiel answered. "I can no longer sense things as I could before. There's hope for him. Feeling better is a good sign. I'm sorry I'm not more help… not anymore."

Cas touched Sam's forehead again, trying to will his powers to come back. Nothing happened. He felt nothing but sweaty skin under his fingertips. Sam frowned up at Cas. "Maybe I should just sleep."

 _Heal!_ Castiel frowned, jabbing Sam on his cheek and then his neck. Dean stopped him by grabbing his hand. "All the poking in the world isn't going to bring your powers back," Dean said. He loved Cas for trying, but it was sad to watch. "You need rest too. Lie back down on your fainting couch. I'm going to set Sammy up in his new room."

"Fainting couch?" Castiel asked, flustered. Sam glanced over to the chaise longue.

"Yeah! Isn't that what they call 'em?" Dean blinked. "'Cause the ladies with the corsets in the old days would swoon and have special couches just for fainting. That's what that thing is."

Dean pointed at the chaise longue. He had remembered a few of the tidbits of information he'd learned in one of his history classes before dropping out of high school. The bunker was full of all sorts of historical objects and Dean was proud whenever he could properly identify one and the historical significance attached to it. " _History_ , damn it," Dean said, growing frustrated by the lack of interest Cas and Sam showed. "We've got an old timey couch. You know what? Never mind."

Cas sauntered back to the 'fainting couch,' self-conscious that one of his first acts as a human had been to faint. His cheeks were colored red, and he concentrated hard on staying alert.

Dean helped Sam out of his chair. Before they left the main room, he addressed Cas, "Just don't go anywhere, okay? Stay put."

* * *

Castiel moved on from fainting, to crying. In his effort to refrain from fainting again, Cas had focused his mind on the awful events that had transpired. He wept softly, wishing he had done everything differently. He had already been responsible for the deaths of so many angels and now he was also responsible for making all the remaining angels fall from Heaven just as Lucifer had fallen. Even when he tried to make things right and correct his previous errors, his plans backfired. Everything was a disaster.

These events would have been difficult for Castiel to reconcile emotionally in his angelic form, but his new human body couldn't tolerate his sorrow and disappointment without having a powerful physiological response. He hadn't moved from the white couch because he realized any decision he made on his own was a bad decision. Cas didn't even trust himself to get off the couch to explore the bunker without causing another life-threatening situation for at least one plane of existence. He sat crying alone for a long while, until Dean's boots appeared in his line of vision.

Dean's voice, level and strong, reached his ears. "You want to talk about it?"

"I can't stop. I don't know how to make it stop," Cas croaked, looking up at Dean in a panic. He was appalled with himself and surprised at the lack of control he had over his body. He wiped his face furiously. Dean closed the space between them and cleaned his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"You don't have to stop."

For a few seconds, Castiel cried harder than before. Dean slumped down beside Cas and silently let him cry all he wanted. Periodically, he turned to wipe his face with his shirt sleeve until Castiel's human tears had just about soaked all the way through the cloth. Dean was exhausted. He was tired of fighting, worrying, and feeling the need to fix everything. He wouldn't have been surprised if Abaddon crashed through the roof riding a ball of fire at that very instant because almost everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong. Their troubles never ended and they had all failed in very different ways.

"It's okay, Cas," Dean said. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and drew him close. "Cry all you want."

"I don't want to cry at all. I wouldn't be doing this if I could control it. It's disgusting."

"I didn't mean it like that – " Dean sighed. Of course he knew Cas didn't _want_ to cry. He looked Cas in his watery eyes. "Hey, it's not disgusting, okay? I've cried before. Sammy cries. Kevin cries. It's just another human thing. You'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it."

"I don't want you to either," Dean admitted. In a weary voice, Dean questioned Cas, "How're you feeling overall? How's your noggin'?"

"My what?" Cas drew in a sharp breath and then remembered Naomi's drill. Dread crossed his features for an instant and his entire body stiffened. He contemplated Dean's question. "Still connected to my spine."

"That's a good thing," Dean remarked. They had very few good things to work with at the moment. He knew it was a sensitive topic, but he went on. "If you're human, that means you're going to be totally free of all that prodding, doesn't it?"

"Naomi's dead."

"Well, there you go. You've got a brain of your own then. And if your brain wants you to cry, you let yourself cry." Dean strained to smile. He got up and reached for several napkins that were resting on the table. He cleaned Castiel's face more thoroughly, going as far as to wipe his nose. "You need to blow?"

Cas didn't understand the question. He puckered his lips and blew a quick gust of air on the napkin. Dean burst out laughing with a harsh, pained laugh.

"What did I do?" Castiel batted his eyes in confusion.

"Nothing. You feel better?"

"Yes," Cas answered. He felt raw inside – spiritually flayed – but his tears had halted completely. He felt safe in Dean's company, like he had never felt safe before. "I'll be fine."

"Good." Dean leaned back on the antique couch and rested his eyes. Against his will, he slipped into a sudden, fatigued sleep. Castiel stayed awake, watching over Dean.

* * *

When Dean opened his eyes about two and a half hours later, he was startled by Castiel's nearness. Cas had remained by his side for the entire duration of his fitful nap. Unlike all the other times he had complained about Cas watching him sleep upon waking, Dean was quiet and looked back at Cas with curiosity. This time was different because Castiel was tired in a perceivably human way. He looked down at him not like an alien being looked down at a fascinating species, but as a worn-out nurse looked down at a beloved patient.

"Still with this?" Dean rubbed his eye. "You're gonna keep watching me sleep even when you're human?"

"You told me to stay here."

"Yeah, but, that was a long time ago. Aw, shit. I should get you a bed."

"I'm not tired."

Dean didn't believe him for a second. By now it was probably the wee hours of the morning, but he wasn't going to argue with Cas if Cas didn't want to sleep. He didn't mind spending the earliest hours awake with Cas. "You want a beer? I'm having a beer."

The two humans drank a six-pack between them, barely speaking a word. After they finished their beers, Dean broke out a new bottle of whiskey. They weren't celebrating having survived. They were coping. Dean hadn't used alcohol to cope in what seemed like forever, but that day seemed like a good exception. He kept thinking about the Gates of Hell and of all the suffering he had put his brother through. Metatron, Abaddon, and Crowley crawled through his thoughts like waking nightmares.

"Dean, I'm… I think this whiskey is more… It's stronger?" Castiel slurred and swayed, putting his glass down on the kitchen counter. "Was it always like that? It's _good_."

"Oh, man, I forgot. You can get wasted now." Dean wiped his hand over his face and grinned wide. He'd gotten Castiel drunk without even trying.

"I don't want to be wasted. No, wait. I do. Just a little bit." Castiel reached for the bottle, but Dean stayed his hand.

"Ease up, compadre. You've had your fill."

"I like drinking. S'good."

"Nope. Nuh-uh. It's closing time."

"Let me have my human things."

As much as Dean loved drinking with Cas, he shook his head and denied him any more alcohol by hiding the bottle up high where Castiel couldn't reach. The ex-angel tried, but Dean blocked his access to the shelf with his body. For a handful of seconds, Castiel attempted to push past him in vain. "Cut that out," Dean chuckled, trying to keep Castiel from climbing all over him to get to the bottle he desired. Suddenly excited, Dean gasped, "You know what we should do?"

"Vodka shots?"

"No," Dean put his hands on Cas' shoulders to keep him from pawing at the nearby bottle of vodka that had caught his eye. "I'm going to teach you how to shoot."

"A gun?" Cas asked. "Right now? Is that a good idea?"

"It's the _best_ idea."

Dean got lost on the way to the firing range and he blamed it on the bunker being too big. It was a labyrinth, Dean complained. The truth was that the whiskey was also affecting him more than usual. After so many months of drinking in moderation, Dean was tipsier than he normally would have been, but he wouldn't dare admit it.

"Cas, you're human now, but that doesn't mean you can't take care of yourself. That doesn't mean you're weak." Dean remembered the way he'd once told Castiel he was nothing more than a baby in a trench coat without his powers. This time, he was determined to shape Cas into a bona fide hunter, just like them. Dean revealed a closet full of weapons. "You'll just have to protect yourself the human way. It's a good way."

"Can't I just use my sword?"

"You'll use your sword _and_ your gun! Tomorrow we'll pick you out a couple of guns, just for you, 'kay?" Dean tapped his chin in thought. "You'll also need a tattoo, pronto."

"What? Why?"

Dean tore at his shirt, revealing the part of his chest marked by his anti-possession tattoo. Understanding dawned upon Castiel. " _Oh_."

Unexpectedly, Dean's hands gripped the sides of Castiel's face. The Winchester was absolutely serious in his tone of voice, gravely affected by worrisome thoughts. "Cas, I don't know what I would do with myself if you ever got possessed."

Cas shuddered at the thought. He felt more nauseated at that idea than he could have ever felt by any amount of alcohol in his system. "You would have to exorcise me."

"No. You will never get possessed. I won't let it come to that. You understand me?"

Cas nodded and Dean let go of his face. He was already thinking of all the ways he could further secure whatever room would be Castiel's bedroom. The entire bunker was warded against everything, but he had warded Sam's room and his own room with double protection just in case. Cas' room would likewise be an impenetrable fortress.

Before long, Dean had selected a handgun and was demonstrating all the important features to Castiel. He showed him the safety and gave him some basic pointers on how to wield the weapon carefully. Dean was a professional. He could handle any weapon competently whether he was half-dead or half-drunk. He knew every weapon they owned backwards and forwards and was totally at ease in his explanation. 'Point and shoot' was no longer a sufficient instruction for training Cas on guns. Dean gave him a thorough run down.

"You remember that sawed-off I let you borrow once?" Dean asked. "Same thing, more or less. But today, we'll be shooting at this paper target dude instead of monsters. It'll be a piece 'o cake."

Dean loaded the gun and prepared it for Castiel. He guided him to line of the firing range and set the gun down for him. Nervous, Cas fidgeted under Dean's scrutiny. Everything they were doing was so foreign to him. Angels didn't train using guns. "Dean, are you sure about this?"

"You can do it."

Castiel picked up the firearm and looked at the target. Quickly, he set the weapon back down. He tugged at his tie. "I'm hot."

"What?" Dean stared, frowning. "You're not making excuses are you?"

"No, it's just that I…I can feel temperatures. It's strange. I'm not used to it." Cas licked his chapped lips. Dean saw a thin sheen of sweat above his upper lip.

"You're wearing too many damn layers. This ain't coat weather. You don't have to wear this all the time."

Dean started to help Castiel out of his trench coat. Once he was free of the bulky overcoat, he felt more comfortable, but not comfortable enough to pick up the weapon again. Cas groaned and ripped off his suit jacket. He didn't bother folding it nicely. Rather, he threw it on the floor, panting with relief. "Oh, that's better."

Without his overcoat and suit jacket, Dean thought Cas looked naked. The Winchester watched, entranced, as Cas rolled up his sleeves. "Do you want to take off your tie too?"

"No, it's fine. I'm ready now." Cas stepped forward and boldly grabbed the handgun. He narrowed his eyes at the target and fired once. The bullet embedded itself into the wall about a foot away from the paper.

Dean thought Cas looked like a movie-sexy secret agent, but he certainly couldn't shoot like one. He forced himself not to laugh at or tease Cas. "Hey, it's okay. Not bad for a first try. You'll get it."

Despite Dean's words, his big miss shattered Castiel's confidence. The weapon felt cumbersome in his hands. He wasn't sure how to stand or aim, even after instruction. Dean stepped into his space to help, just as he was contemplating giving up. Dean wrapped his hand over Castiel's to help him aim and steady the weapon. He adjusted Cas' posture with a gentle hand at his hip. Dean was close enough for Cas to feel his breaths brushing over his skin as he explained how to stand in greater detail. Unwittingly, Dean's fingers trailed over his midsection, stroking over the skin of his abdomen. Cas hadn't even realized his shirt had hiked up around his torso until he felt Dean's hot fingers grazing over his stomach.

"U-Um," Cas gulped. Dean had touched him many times before, but never lingered quite so long, especially not with his hand on his waist. His small touches felt better than Cas thought they should have. His every nerve blossomed blissfully in an unfamiliar way.

"Shh, focus. You got this."

Determined not to let Dean's lessons go to waste, Cas focused on killing his paper enemy. He would have to take care of himself in the future so Sam and Dean wouldn't have to. He would need to learn how to wield the barbaric, unsophisticated weapon in his hands to the best of his abilities. He fired.

The first shot hit inside the target's shoulder. Dean helped him adjust, remaining unnecessarily close. The next three shots fired landed closer to the inside of the target's chest. Dean cheered, "Good job! Now try for the head."

Cas shot the target through the eye and snickered with delight. He shot again and hit the corner of its skull. When he put the weapon down, Dean sang praises. "Beautiful! See! I told you you'd get it!"

"That was… fun," Cas said the word like it was a new concept to him. "More fun than I thought it would be."

All of the sudden, Dean was embracing Castiel. He didn't say anything. He just held Cas firmly to his body. Dean couldn't remember the last time Cas had said something was fun. Maybe he never had. Dean was overwhelmed by many emotions, including those aroused from the thought of being able to show Castiel ways to have fun. After suffering so much, Cas deserved some honest human fun.

"Dean?" Castiel turned in Dean's arms. He remembered the way Dean had embraced him in Purgatory. He had felt the same relief at seeing Dean that Dean had felt upon seeing him. This time, he hugged back. He breathed his heartfelt, whiskey-scented gratitude. "Thank you."

Dean squeezed him tighter, wishing he had the nerve to ask him to never leave again.

"When I saw the sky the way it was, I thought about you," Dean admitted, unable to let Cas go. "I'm so glad you're okay. I'm so glad you didn't… that you didn't burn."

Cas buried his face into Dean's neck. He didn't have the heart to tell Dean that he had spiraled from the sky just like the rest of his angelic family had. He knew their pain because he had been engulfed in flames for part of his journey to the earth. Thankfully, he'd been unconscious for most of his fall.

"You'll always be an angel to me," Dean whispered.

After what he had done to Heaven, Cas wasn't sure if he deserved to bear the title 'angel.' Castiel tried hard not to cry again. He wasn't confident that he could control himself if Dean kept talking, so he changed the subject. "I think I should return to the fainting couch."

* * *

Dean insisted that the couch would not do. They took many detours on their way to find Cas a place to stay. First, they stopped by Sam's new room to peer in on him. He was sleeping heavily and color was beginning to return to his face. The sight of Sam resting made them both feel more at ease. Kevin's room was adjacent to Sam's. The light was on, but the door was closed firmly. Dean felt sure that Kevin was probably awake, but he didn't disturb him. He had never intended to burn any bridges with the young man and he knew he would have to mend their relationship soon if they had any hopes of working as a team.

When Cas expressed a desire to shower, Dean led him to his room. Originally, Dean had allowed Sam to take the biggest room in the bunker in exchange for taking the room with the biggest attached bathroom. There were communal showers in the facility, but Dean's room had a massive, private ornate bathroom fit for a king. Before allowing Cas inside, Dean hid the razors, remembering that Cas had once expressed suicidal thoughts. Dean wanted to protect his friend's newfound mortality, but he also didn't trust Cas to shave himself. That would be a lesson for another day.

"Okay, here she is." Dean gestured around the finely decorated room.

"It's impressive."

"Men of Letters, right?" Dean shrugged. He pointed at the towel rack. "The blue one's mine. You can have the one with the 'C' on it."

Castiel blinked at towel hanging on the rack especially for him. The monogrammed towel was white with an elaborate, curling 'C' sewn on the corner with black thread. Dean cleared his throat. "I didn't buy that. I guess some guy that used to live here had a name that started with a 'C.'"

_Charles? Cameron? Chester? Calvin?_

"That's convenient," Castiel said, honestly. Human for less than a day and he already had his own towel.

"So, this is the shampoo and there's soap in there…" Dean explained opening the shower to show Cas everything. "This one's for hot water."

Castiel placed a hand on Dean's arm and tilted his head incredulously. "I'm human, not stupid."

Dean inhaled a breath. "I know that. I was just making sure."

"Thanks, Dean. I can handle the rest."

"If you need something – anything – I'll be out here." Dean blushed and hurried out of the bathroom. He left the door open and Cas didn't feel the need to close it. Having the door open really did soothe the Winchester even though showering was not an inherently dangerous task.

 _Okay, clothes. He'll need clothes_. Dean listened as the water turned on and then went to his dresser to find clothes suitable for Cas. He had an abnormal amount of plaid, but somehow thought the plaid wouldn't suit Cas. He decided on a dark gray t-shirt and a navy button-up shirt. He selected a pair of old jeans and hesitated before his underwear drawer. _Is it weird if he wears my underwear?_

Dean puzzled over his question with trepidation. Letting Cas wear his underwear would be taking things a step too far. Yet, they were about the same size and he had a lot to spare. In the end, he pulled out a pair and mixed it in with the set of clothing he'd picked out for Cas. _Just this once!_

Dean thought Cas' clean ass deserved clean underwear. Another day they could afford to get Cas his own things, but it wouldn't hurt to clothe him with his own wardrobe for now. Castiel evidently had no patience for long showers. He emerged with his towel around his waist moments after Dean had picked out clothes for him.

Upon seeing Castiel in the dim light of his room, Dean's breath hitched in his throat. Cas was either lazy or incompetent at toweling because his hair and most of his body was still sopping wet. "This is… This…" Dean clutched the clean clothes and shoved them in Cas' direction. "You can wear this. It should fit."

Cas took the clothing with a smile and a 'thank you' and set them down on the bed. When he removed his towel, Dean darted out of the room like it was on fire. "I'll be right back."

 _Privacy is a human thing. He's got to learn. You've gotta learn_. Dean paced in the hall before rushing to the kitchen to get some water. He was almost completely sober by now. Thinking about Cas, he poured a second glass of water to make sure he wouldn't get a hangover tomorrow. Dean returned and knocked softly on the door before gently opening it. He saw Cas' towel draped over a chair and the man himself snug in his bed. Dean almost dropped the glasses in his hands.

"Cas!"

"Yes, Dean?" he returned, groggily. There was only one pillow and he had taken it. Dean closed the door and entered the room to place the glasses on the nightstand. Cas was peering at the picture Dean had of his mother.

"This is my room."

"I know." Cas knit his brows together, not seeing a problem.

"I was just letting you borrow my shower. I was going to put you somewhere else. You need your own room. Where am I supposed to – " The more Dean argued at Cas, the less he wanted to kick him out. Castiel's eyelids were falling and he looked so comfortable in his bed. _Adorable_. His hair had already gotten his pillow wet.

 _Damn it_.

They had slept side-by-side in Purgatory. Though Dean had enjoyed it, he thought that the earthly plane needed to work with separate rules. On the other hand, his room was the most protected of all the rooms apart from Sam's and Kevin's. If Castiel stayed with him, Dean could be certain he would not be in danger. Dean swallowed. "Okay, you can stay."

"That was the plan," Cas answered. Dean wasn't sure how to take that, so he responded with anxiety.

"Just don't tell anyone!"

"Good night, Dean."

Helplessly, Dean watched Cas shut his eyes. He clenched his fist and wavered before taking a place on the other side of the bed. "Night, Cas."


	2. Lessons with Kevin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Sam leave the bunker to investigate and get supplies, leaving Castiel alone with the prophet. Kevin is wary of Cas at first, but quickly opens up to him like he never has before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say the Destiel was minimal? I am a lying liar.

While Castiel slept, Dean fingered his angel sword. The fallen angel had left his iconic weapon on the dresser of Dean's bedroom and Dean had picked it up and taken it to bed. Castiel had resisted sleep for so long that he had fallen asleep the instant he had closed his eyes. Dean remained awake, worrying about angels.

The bunker had not been warded against angels previously to allow Castiel the ability to visit. Dean realized they would have to change that now to have a strict, no-angel policy. If Metatron or any other angel visited at that moment, the only defense they would have was the angel sword in his hand. Then again, as the scribe of God, Metatron's ability to erase wards might make any precautions they took futile. Dean stayed up, worried he would have to use the blade to defend Cas. He glanced at Cas, happier than ever that he had allowed him to stay in his room. After a significant period of time, Dean managed to talk himself down from his heightened sense of paranoia. He set Castiel's sword above the headboard, next to one of his crucifixes. The blade would still be in reach, if needed.

Dean found sleeping to be such a huge vulnerability that the area surrounding his bed was likely the most well stocked space of the bunker, second only to the armory. Castiel had taken the side of the bed he favored, but Dean was nevertheless prepared to lunge after all the hidden guns, vials holy of water, and silver knives he might need in the middle of the night in an emergency.

_You gotta sleep. Four hours. Just four hours._

Deducting the two and a half hours he'd slept earlier, Dean decided he could get away with resting for a shorter amount of time. _No more than two hours_. Dean began to nod off, his body resting on top of his covers. The last thing he did before falling asleep was check to make sure that Cas was still there, alive. He slept sitting up with his hand reaching towards Cas.

Dean woke up with a start. Memories from last night flashed through his brain vividly and he checked the time. _7:30 AM_. His sleep goal had been met. Castiel hadn't budged since he had closed his eyes for the night. He had curled up on his right side with the covers tight around his body like he was trying to hide. Dean crowded over him to peek at his face. Cas was sleeping with a frown etched on his brow. "Cas?"

 _Maybe I shouldn't wake him._ Dean pondered. _Or, maybe he'll wake up if I stare at him hard enough?_

Staring hard had served as an effective method used by Cas to rouse Dean more times than the Winchester could count. Dean did his best impersonation of an Angel Cas Stare, but his experiment failed. Human Cas wanted only to slumber. Looking upon his handsome, resting features, Dean began to understand how watching a person sleep could be gratifying. Castiel asleep was a marvel.

However, Cas wouldn't make a very good hunter if he slept like a rock all of the time, Dean reasoned, because most of the creatures they fought attacked at night. In his second attempt to wake Cas, Dean hastily passed a hand over Castiel's face twice to test his reflexes. Angel Cas would have gripped his arm tight, using superhuman agility. Human Cas continued to breathe delicate, peaceful breaths into the sheets. Dean cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at Cas. Everything about the fallen angel's sleeping form was fascinating. Suddenly, Dean snapped his fingers over his face, convinced the sound would wake Cas.

" _Really?_ " Dean gawked when the man didn't stir. He nudged his shoulder and Castiel exhaled noisily, but continued to sleep. _C'mon!_

Finally, he flicked him hard in the chest.

" _Ah!_ " Castiel cried, awake at last. When he turned and saw Dean staring down at him calmly, he was so startled that he almost fell out of the bed. It was the Angel Stare.

"Now you know how it feels," Dean gloated and Castiel whined.

"Did you hit me? You hit me! I never – "

"You sleep alright?"

"Not really. I don't know – " In spite of being smacked into alertness, Castiel was warm, comfortable, and overjoyed by Dean's presence, but he did not feel refreshed.

"Good! Breakfast and family meeting in five."

Castiel wanted nothing more than to fall asleep again. He didn't know why he did not feel rested, considering he had slept. "Why does my head hurt?"

Dean's eyes became big and delighted. "Maybe 'cause you're a little hungover."

Castiel groaned and turned into the bed. He had a stomachache too. He couldn't believe his human body was ailing so quickly. "What does that mean? Am I ill? I feel remarkably unwell."

"It means you drank too much," Dean explained in a borderline infatuated tone of voice. Realizing Sam would be upset if he found out Dean had gotten their friend trashed on his first night as a human, Dean deliberated. "Hm. Okay. Don't come down until you've finished off both those glasses of water over there. You like coffee, don't you?"

"Coffee is my favorite beverage," Castiel perked up. He could taste the coffee already. So far, one of his favorite things about being human was his capacity to be influenced by substances that wouldn't have fazed him in his angelic form.

"Apart from booze?" Dean grinned and Cas groaned yet again. The fallen angel was a man after his own heart. "Liquor and coffee, huh? You better be careful or you'll tear a hole in your new human stomach."

"I think I already have." Castiel curled into himself more tightly and Dean fought his urges to touch him.

"A little breakfast and a little coffee will fix this. By the time you finish that water, we'll have coffee ready for you, okay?" Dean got off his bed and bounded for the door. The last thing he said to Cas before leaving was, "Don't puke!"

* * *

The scent of eggs wafted into the air like a glorious protein essence. Dean created the most beautiful plate of eggs, bacon, and toast ever seen at the bunker. He put the plate in front of Kevin. Kevin eyed him over his enormous mug of coffee.

"I already ate."

"Are you shittin' me?" Dean had just about had it _Up to Here_ with Kevin's attitude. "You didn't already eat this gorgeous plate of eggs and bacon."

"I'm not messing with you, Dean. Sam got up early and cut some fruit for me. He made me some French Toast too. It was good." Kevin preferred Sam's type of breakfast a hundred times over what Dean had offered him. Sam had gone as far as to cook vegan French Toast. Kevin hadn't even known vegan French Toast was possible. Before Dean had joined them, Kevin had apologized to Sam for having suggested that he would have preferred him dead the night before. Kevin still wished the gates had been closed, but he couldn't be cruel to the nicer brother that had offered him sweet sustenance. "Sorry."

 _French Toast?_ Dean gave Sammy a curious, reluctantly pleased look. "Well, that's cute."

Dean took his eggs to Sam instead, and his brother lifted his hand in refusal. "Um." Sam drew in his lower lip, knowing he was about to offend Dean. "Uh…I had some of that toast too. So, I'm good."

Dejected, Dean looked down at his eggs and bacon with a heavy sigh. With perfect timing, Castiel stumbled into the room, his hair uncombed, wearing Dean's clothing. "Cas, I made you some eggs!" Dean announced, cheerily adding, "and bacon."

"Thank you. Where is the coffee you promised me?" Castiel took a seat by Kevin and rubbed his eyes. His overt humanness and the casual, intimate air with which he demanded coffee from Dean flabbergasted both Kevin and Sam. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Cas looked like a drained hunter. Kevin and Sam were not too surprised he was wearing Dean's clothing, but they were so unused to seeing him in anything other than his suit and coat that they didn't know what to say to him. They couldn't even remember to bid him a good morning. Cas was a fumbling mess.

"Cas, are you okay?" Sam gasped, worried that Castiel had become afflicted by something in addition to becoming human. "Where did you sleep? On the _floor?_ "

"Uh…" Cas began. Dean said he wasn't supposed to talk about it. Did that also mean he wasn't supposed to talk about not being allowed to talk about it? The way Cas looked to Dean for assistance provoked suspicion in their companions. "I slept in…"

"On the couch," Dean cut in, lying so blatantly that Sam made one of his patented skeptical faces. This was another thing he wouldn't be able to get a straight answer from Dean about and he knew it. Sam coughed and cleared his throat to let Dean know that he knew he was lying through his teeth.

"That explains a lot. Rough night, huh?" Kevin questioned and reached over to pat down Castiel's unflattering side-Mohawk. Dean smacked Kevin's hand away.

"Cut that out. I haven't taught him about combs yet." Dean placed the eggs and bacon before Cas, smiling. "Eat up before it gets cold."

"Is there something wrong with my hair?" Castiel asked, touching his hair in a distressed fashion.

"Nah, it's perfect. You're a regular trendsetter." Dean teased. To avoid openly laughing at the way Castiel's hair shot out at the side, he parted from Cas to get him his promised cup o' Joe.

Dean served himself the remaining bacon and eggs and ate next to Sam, peering over his brother's shoulder to look at the laptop sitting before him. The Internet had exploded with sightings of fallen angels. The 'family meeting' wasn't supposed to have begun without Cas, but they had already discussed some plans for what to do about Metatron and how to investigate the fallen angels. They all believed Cas needed to be shielded from the worst of the news for at least a few days while he adjusted to human life. Dean had let Sam and Kevin know that Castiel was not taking Metatron's betrayal well in a brief, meaningful warning, and he argued that one of their goals should be to make sure Cas didn't run off alone.

Dean ate quickly because they didn't have time to waste. He caught Cas up on what he needed to know. "Alright, Kevin's still on to translate the angel tablet. Kev, you see anything in there about how to gank angels and you let us know ASAP."

Kevin nodded.

"If you can find out what the real trials for that tablet are, we could use that too," Sam said. He glanced over to Cas, unsure if he could ask him what he wanted to know without upsetting him. The mention of 'real trials' had already caused a visible change in Castiel's demeanor. "I mean, if we can figure out a way to close the Gates of Heaven, we could shut Metatron up there, right? What would happen to the angels down here if we did that? Do you know, Cas?"

Cas tried to sip his coffee composedly, but his hand was trembling. "I don't know. The tablet would have the answer to that. I learned of the existence of the tablet around the same time you did. At this point, I'm less well versed on it than Kevin."

"Do you know…" Sam hesitated. "Do you have any idea what might become of the angels that have fallen? Would they still have their powers?"

Cas froze, staring at the table. "They'll be confused. Wounded. Severed from Heaven, they can't communicate directly with each other. If they still have powers, they will be numbed. They are not like me. They still have their graces. Depending on the angel, they could still wield considerable power. And…they might be angry. They might be so disillusioned that they hurt themselves or others."

Dean remembered the conversation they'd had at the bar while hunting the Cupid's bow. More than anything, he was concerned they would hurt Cas. "Each angel will react differently to falling. Some may wish to live peacefully among humans, but you shouldn't count on that. Don't underestimate them," Cas warned, "They would make formidable foes."

"Like Lucifer? Like a bunch of mini-Lucys…" Dean glanced down at the floor.

"Very much so, but unlike him, they won't have to hunt for vessels. Almost all the angels took human vessels soon after everything that happened…recently. After I upset – " Castiel became so troubled he had to stop before continuing, "…the _balance_ on Heaven and Earth."

That was good information to know. Now they knew they were unlikely to be threatened by disembodied celestial beings. Dean joked, "So, what? They'll all be running around with bad taste in suits?"

Cas grinned the saddest grin, making Sam and Dean regret they had brought on the topic so soon. "I need to find them," Cas said, pained. "I should be helping them as we speak."

"No." Dean insisted firmly. "Cas, we need you here. We need you to stay here with Kevin to angel proof the hell out of this place. Sammy and I are going to make a run for supplies."

"You can help him with the angel tablet too, if he has questions," Sam added. "Since you're kind of an expert."

"I understand," Cas replied with a sigh. He understood that he was being left because he was too big of a liability. He was a blundering, useless human with a fragile emotional core. "I'll do what I can. Are you feeling better, Sam?"

"A lot better. I was at Death's door. I feel like I made a complete 180," Sam answered. He had felt sluggish in the morning, but well enough to cook. Dean's hand touched his forehead.

"Still got a fever."

"This is a head cold," Sam countered. "It's nothing compared to what I had before." Yet, Sam's eyes were sunken in and he continued to embody poor health. He wouldn't admit to anyone that his chest hurt almost constantly and that he had a headache that wouldn't go away. "I'm getting much better."

Dean polished off his plate, suspicious. "We're gonna get you meds. Cas, you need anything?"

"Like what?" _What do humans need?_ Cas concentrated on his inner question. "I have clothes. Food? Do we have food? I will need to eat again at some point in the near future."

Sam and Kevin shot each other laughing glances. "Yeah, we'll get food," Sam said, "Of course. Is there anything specific you want?"

Dean didn't let Cas answer because part of what Cas had said was nagging him. "You're just… You're okay with wearing my clothes all the time? We should probably get you your own stuff."

"Why?" Castiel questioned.

"I think he looks good," Sam interfered, a cheeky expression on his face. "We'll save money if you share."

"Is nobody going to ask me what I want?" Kevin pouted, throwing up his hands.

"I was about to ask you," Sam exclaimed.

"Kimchi and bourbon. Lots of bourbon." Then, Kevin added, "Oh, and about a lifetime supply of coffee. Dark roast. Also, a new toothbrush and a bucket of Advil. Thanks."

"Bourbon?" Dean set his gaze on Kevin. _You're just a kid_. As a mental aside, he made a note to pick up a toothbrush for Cas too.

"It helps me work." Kevin shrugged. After one day in the bunker, Kevin had already developed a taste for the drink. Since Dean had been drinking for longer than Kevin had, it would have been hypocritical for him to judge him too harshly.

"I'm getting you salad too," Dean remarked, "We are not going to have a rehash of daily pig-anus buffets."

"Yeah, let's not…" Kevin looked sick just thinking about hot dogs.

"Drink some water while we're out. Both of you." Dean went to put his plate up. Sammy drained his mug of coffee and prepared to join his brother. Castiel, sucking on a piece of bacon, made a face of pure bliss so endearing that the Winchesters stopped to stare. He chewed the bacon into tiny bits and scooped up another mouthful of eggs. He had never tasted anything so wonderful and it showed.

"Cas?" Sam's mouth twitched in amusement. "You like eggs, huh?"

"These are the best eggs in the world," he replied, profoundly astonished. "They have to be."

Dean was so genuinely pleased that he couldn't come up with a witty response. He kicked the floor with a toe and immediately noticed the gesture of bashfulness was a telltale sign of how enthused Cas' compliment had made him. "They're just eggs. You're just not used to eating eggs."

"No, I've eaten the eggs at Biggerson's. Though I can hardly consider them eggs now."

At this, Dean reddened.

"You should try his burgers." Sam beamed, lifting his eyebrows. "They're really good."

"You make burgers?" Castiel gasped. "With your _hands?_ "

Dean was getting too embarrassed to stay cool. He tried to make a smart remark to pretend he wasn't moved by Castiel's interest in his cooking. "No, Cas, I make them with my a – "

"With his very hands," Sam finished for his brother. He grabbed one of Dean's hands and gave it a loving caress like it was a miraculous instrument. "He's an artist."

Castiel wanted to eat Dean's burgers so badly his eyes shone with sheer wonder and anticipation. "We'll get the stuff to make them." Dean shoved his hands into his pockets, and moved his gaze away from the look of longing Castiel had fixed upon him. "We've got to get moving. Just, uh, don't forget to angel ward this place while we're gone, okay?"

* * *

"This is the best coffee I've ever tasted," Castiel told Kevin, after they had been left alone. Like Dean and Kevin, Castiel drank the brew black. Kevin made coffee so strong that Cas could feel all the hairs on his body standing at attention from the power of the caffeine coursing through his veins. "It's better than Biggerson's, by a long shot."

"Have you ever eaten anything that wasn't from a Biggerson's?" Kevin chortled and set his pencil down beside the angel tablet he had been working on translating.

"Yes." Castiel replied. When Kevin smirked into his mug, Cas asked him what was so funny.

"Man, you. The last time I saw you, you were roughing me around and now you're…" Kevin gestured to Castiel's body as if that was explanation enough. "Don't hate me for saying this, but I almost like you better now."

"Well, I don't," Castiel exhaled, but was not offended by the prophet. "Apologies for the way I treated you before. I was desperate. I thought I was doing the right thing."

 _Yeah, you always do._ Dean's unhappy words rang in his head, causing him to sink into his chair miserably. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am better this way."

Kevin had half a mind to lord over Cas. He wasn't so tough and intimidating without his powers, was he? But, then, Kevin remembered Dean's speech about Cas' frail emotional state and he did his best to avoid being unkind. "I don't mean I'm glad you got cut up. I'm sorry that happened to you. It's just that sometimes when you're all powered-up, especially when you and Dean team up on someone, you have a way of making people feel… really small. It's like having two really controlling, intimidating dads."

Castiel contemplated Kevin's words. If only Sam had been a fly on the wall. He would have been screaming in agreement.

"Sorry. I'm not trying to be a downer. I like you a lot when you're cool and kind of goofy. Or when you're sticking my severed fingers back on." Kevin smiled. He couldn't fathom how scary Cas would be to an enemy. "I'm just glad we're on the same side."

"We'll always be on the same side," Cas said with a significant look to Kevin. "I will protect you, even in this inferior body. You should have had an angel watching over you from the very beginning, as it was written."

"Thanks," Kevin responded, his hands shaking a little. He felt over the finger that Crowley had severed where a shadow of pain continued to linger. All alone, he had been threatened, kidnapped, and tortured multiple times. He'd been forced to save himself more often than not because rescuers had come for him infrequently. He would not have minded having Angel Castiel at his side that whole time. Now, Kevin would be happy to take Cas as a human. "What's it like? Being human now?"

As soon as Kevin asked, Castiel expressed great relief like he had been waiting for that question.

"I'm so hungry. _All the time_ ," Castiel moaned. "I'm tired, even though I've slept. I get hot and uncomfortable sometimes and I have to change clothing. Everything is so much more intense, except for, well… all my senses that feel as though they've been dulled. My body feels so strange."

Angels had more than five senses and none of the five human senses of vessels worked the same when controlled by a full-blooded angel. Cas' fingers danced around the ceramic surface of his mug. He thought of alcohol and Dean. _Intense._ "Jittery. I think that's the word. I feel 'jittery.' And some state of being I don't know how to describe. And _slow_. Everything is so slow. I have to walk everywhere!"

Kevin burst out laughing and rolled his eyes. "Oh no. You have to walk. Like a human. Are all your powers totally gone?"

"Totally gone."

"That sucks. But we can find your grace and put it back inside of you, right?"

"That's not important right now." Castiel avoided the question because he wasn't sure what Metatron had done with his grace. He might have already destroyed it. Cas got up. "We should get to work on those angel wards."

When Kevin got up to follow Cas, he noted all the empty beer bottles and the almost completely drained bottle of whiskey on the table nearby that he had not noticed before. Immediately, he assumed either Cas or Dean had been drinking since Sam was sick and he had been in his room all night. Kevin ran after Cas to explain exactly where Dean had suggested they draw the wards.

Kevin wasn't very sensitive on the topics that required sensitivity. In part, his youth was betraying him. He was innocently curious and blunt. He hadn't known about the existence of angels for most of his life and now he suddenly had an acquaintance that was a fallen angel. A sliver of him thought the situation was insanely cool, like he'd been sucked into his favorite video game. At least, when he wasn't being tortured or suffering insanity, Kevin was amazed by the world around him. "Is it weird to be warding against angels for you? 'Cause you used to be one? Do you feel anything when you draw them?"

"It's weird," Cas answered as he finished painting the ward Kevin had begun. Kevin had an impressive ability to draw wards that Cas commented on briefly before responding to his other question. "They have no effect on me whatsoever."

"It's kinda convenient," Kevin said. "Now that you're not an angel, we can ward all we want. Dean wouldn't let us before in case you had to visit."

"True. I almost certainly put you all in danger before. Because of me, angels like Naomi and Metatron had access to you."

"Why are angels such dicks?" Kevin breathed. He had wanted to know for a long time because Dean often remarked on their dickishness, in spite of having an angel best friend. Kevin had only known Metatron for a short amount of time, and he was stunned by how two-faced he had revealed himself to be. Since Metatron had healed him, Kevin had believed it was possible he was nice. How wrong Kevin had been.

 _Kevin_. Castiel exhaled a huge, ragged breath and glanced up at the ceiling to ask the Lord for more patience. He wondered if this was how parents felt. "We're just born that way."

"Are you really born? Like people? With moms? Or are you built?" Kevin's eyes went wide.

"No, we're not born like humans. We are created by God."

"Instantly? Like God just thinks about you and you happen?"

"Pretty much. We tend to be created in batches." Cas creased his mouth, thinking angels must have seemed truly unusual to humans.

"Whoa." Kevin carried the ladder to the next place they planned to ward. "That's insane. So you don't ever… _do it?_ "

"What?"

"It." Kevin expressed obviousness. "Sex."

Castiel opened his mouth and then closed it. Intimacies between true form angels did not resemble human copulation by any stretch of the imagination. Cas thought for a moment before answering. "Angels cannot be produced through sex, but we can have sex, as you understand it, as long as we take human vessels. An angel in a human vessel can mate with humans and even produce offspring, but that offspring is forbidden."

"Nephilim." Kevin guessed correctly. "But, as long as you don't produce offspring, it's not forbidden? You can sleep with all the humans you want if you use protection."

"I suppose… well… There are many angels that do…"

"But you don't."

"Is this vital knowledge for you to understand the tablet?"

"You're like The 40 Year Old Virgin," Kevin whispered in awe. "How old _are_ you?"

"Who is that?" Castiel crinkled his brow. As an afterthought, he said, "I'm older than most vertebrate life forms on Earth."

"Steve Carell," Kevin said. "Does that make Dean your Seth Rogen?"

"I don't understand that reference."

"I'll show you later." When Kevin and Cas finished warding the entire bunker, the mountain of boxes near the main room distracted Kevin. Covered in splotches of paint, Kevin fished through the boxes. Quickly, he pulled out an item he found to be interesting. "Cas, do you know what this is?"

Castiel rushed forward, shaking. "The Spear of Destiny! Where did you find that?"

"It was in this box. Is it important? Holy shit." Kevin paused, jogging his memory. "Wait, you mean like in _Constantine?_ "

"Why do you keep saying things I don't understand?"

"Neo. Keanu Reeves?" Kevin narrowed his eyes. "Never mind. What is the Spear doing here?"

"I don't know, but if any of these other boxes contain more artifacts like this…"

"Could that give us an advantage?" Kevin twitched with excitement.

"Quite possibly. _Very_ possibly."

Kevin and Cas tore through the storage boxes, cataloguing every important item they uncovered. Cas was an encyclopedia of knowledge, able to recount even the smallest details of most of what they found. Kevin began a database on his laptop, soaking up Castiel's words like a sponge. "This is incredible. How do you remember so many things? Did you keep all the knowledge you gained over the millions of years you've been alive?"

"I don't know. Maybe I have… Maybe I'll slowly begin to forget."

"Dean and Sam are going to freak! This is so awesome!" Kevin glowed. Hurriedly, he backed up the file he had created into the place he used to store information on the tablets. They took a lunch break.

Kevin taught Castiel about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, explaining that they were an essential American staple. They each drank a glass of water and Kevin explained that humans could only last up to around three days without water. Now that Cas was human, drinking water was as important as eating. Castiel found an enticing bag of popcorn and Kevin stopped him just as he tried to pop it using the oven.

"No, Cas! That goes on the stove!" Kevin cried, and showed Castiel how to make the stovetop popcorn properly. Castiel found the process to be tedious, but the product was rewarding.

"Promise me you'll never put any metal objects into the microwave, okay?"

"I promise," Castiel replied, bewildered. "I don't feel very comfortable with microwaves. Whatever happened to building fires?"

"You are so weird," Kevin said for not the first time that day and then offered Cas some of the chips he'd opened.

After eating, they spent a few more hours with the storage boxes. Sam and Dean were taking their sweet time. Kevin had gotten a text from Dean to let him know where they were. That text had been followed by a text asking about Cas. When Kevin didn't reply immediately, Dean sent him another Cas-related text. "Oh my God, he is so overbearing!"

> _Cas is fine. Made him a sandwich. Haven't let him out of my sight. Don't forget my bourbon & toothbrush._

Castiel became attentive. "Is that Dean?"

"Yeah. Hey! You want to go on a tour of this place?" Kevin changed the subject. "I haven't seen the whole bunker yet."

"What about the tablet?"

Kevin looked down forlornly. He shut down his laptop and carried it over to the table of their main room. "I'll work on it later."

"It is your duty."

"My whole life has been nothing but tablets for over a year!" Kevin panted in a frenzy. "What is the point of it? They didn't do what I said when I translated the last tablet. What will be different this time?"

"We won't know unless you translate it," Castiel responded. "This time I will be here to help you. We will all protect you."

"I just don't want to do it right now," Kevin sniffled, near tears. He swore he would never cry in front of any of the guys. He didn't want to seem childish and weak. Kevin composed himself. He swallowed, "You know as well as I do that if it had been me instead of Sam, the Gates of Hell would be closed right now. You think Dean wouldn't have sacrificed you too? But it wasn't us. It was Sam. Why should I do anything for guys that don't give a shit about anything but each other?"

"That is not true. They care about more than that…" Castiel said quietly. Yet, Cas had no doubt that Dean would have sacrificed him because he had been unflinching when Cas expressed his will to lock himself in Heaven. Kevin was right on that account and it caused both of them suffering, but Cas saw through to the bigger picture. "Don't do it for them or because of anyone. Do it for humanity." Castiel reasoned. "If you are only able to find solutions that require a sacrifice, I will offer myself gladly."

"You would?" Kevin's wavering gaze met Castiel's frosty, absolute stare. He believed every word he said. "I started last night. I stayed up all night reading that angel tablet until I was dizzy."

"What did you find out? Did you tell Sam and Dean?"

Kevin shook his head. "I'm at the introduction that explains angels. There's nothing we can use there. That's why I didn't tell them. But also… I wasn't sure what I had hallucinated and what was real."

"What did you see? What did the tablet tell you?"

"It was a description of the essence of angels." Kevin replied with a distant look in his eyes. "I saw an angel in my head. It was… spectacular. God put an angel in my head. It was like I was looking at one right in front of me. I saw what you are… Or what you used to be."

Kevin paused and rubbed his eyes. He didn't know how to describe what he had seen. "How do I translate that? What I saw was like the entire expanse of the starry sky. All the stars joined together with wings made of sunlight. Incredible power and unimaginable beauty. That was you… wasn't it? I don't know. You see, I'm not sure if it was real. Is that what angels are?"

Castiel didn't answer.

"I passed out after seeing that. When I woke up, I tasted blue." Kevin blinked furiously. "I didn't just taste blue, I _heard_ it."

The more Kevin spoke of true form angels, the more brokenhearted Castiel felt. He had been grander than anything that walked the Earth. His quintessence had been more magnificent than anything a human could comprehend or verbalize.

"Being human for you must feel like what a human would feel if he suddenly became a slug. How can you bear it?"

"With much pain." A tear threatened to escape the corner of Castiel's eye, but he extinguished it before it could.

"Then it's true. I'm sorry…" Kevin sobbed because he understood what Castiel had lost even if he could not explain it. He had been humbled through reading the tablet. He felt like a speck, traveling through the world with extremely limited perceptions. "But you're still good. You're better than the angels that still have their graces."

Castiel felt a spasm of surprise.

"The tablet said angels were created to protect humanity. Even without all that power, you're still trying to do that. You would still sacrifice yourself for humanity. Really, that makes you more of an angel than Metatron."

"We should go on that tour."

* * *

Kevin and Cas took a couple of beers for their walk around the bunker. There were many filing rooms and libraries that were not particularly interesting to them. Kevin was looking for rooms that were fun. He wanted to know if there was an indoor swimming pool or a game room. When they found a room with a pool table and a dartboard, Kevin almost collapsed with joy. "When we finish our tour we can come back to play darts. I love darts."

Kevin was sure there would be a swimming pool, but they never found one. Instead, they came across the firing range. "Cool…"

Castiel entered the room he had already become familiar with. He noted his coat and suit jacket were still on the floor. Kevin went forward to pick them up. "Were you in here last night?"

Cas didn't know why, but he had the urge to lie. He took the coat offered to him and decided to be honest with the prophet. "Yes. Dean was teaching me how to shoot."

"And you had to take off your clothes to do that?" Kevin raised his eyebrows.

"I got hot."

Kevin's eyes went wide and he made a silly face Castiel wasn't used to seeing on humans. "How did you get… hot…? From _that?_ Wait, don't answer that."

"I can teach you how to handle a gun," Castiel proclaimed proudly. "I am confident that I absorbed Dean's lesson well."

"No… That's okay." Kevin had the desire to leave the room despite having an interest in firing handguns. It was giving him weird vibes.

Nothing could have given him weirder vibes than the next room they investigated. Cheerfully, Kevin opened a large metal door down the hall from the firing range. When he saw what was inside, he screamed. He shut the door and rested against it before Castiel could get a good look at what was inside.

"What is it?"

"It's a…" Kevin was panting. "A sex torture dungeon. An actual sex torture dungeon."

Castiel's features became grave. He grabbed the knob and gently eased the door open. True to Kevin's word, there were implements of bondage and torture from wall to wall. Both males gaped at the room with a mixture of surprise and horror, and they entered it slowly and timidly. Kevin stuck close to Castiel.

"What makes you think it's a sex torture dungeon?" Castiel asked in a small voice. "It could be a standard dungeon. Sam did mention something about a dungeon."

Kevin flicked his eyes to Cas quickly before surveying the room. "I read a little bit about the Men of Letters. A bunch of white guys in a secret society? That's almost a guarantee kinkiness is involved."

Castiel mulled over Kevin's statements. He had an enormous swell of human history in his brain. Ultimately, he nodded in agreement. With more confidence, Kevin explored the dungeon. He opened a drawer and almost screamed again upon pulling out a gag. He dropped it in the drawer, but was then startled by the sight of a black whip on the wall.

"Look at that, Cas! I _knew_ it!"

"This room is disquieting."

"I've found porn too. Old porn. Yesterday, I saw this vintage Asian women porn. It was really creepy." Kevin shuddered. There was something unsettling about a secret group of white men fetishizing Asian women. "I'm so glad I'm not a girl."

"Why?"

"Dean," Kevin huffed. "He's into Asian women. I'm half of that, you know."

Castiel narrowed his eyes in confusion. He was aware of Dean's attraction to Asian women, but had never thought about it very deeply.

"If I were a girl, he probably – no, he _definitely_ would have tried to screw me already," Kevin said. "So gross. But, then… I dunno. Maybe if I were a girl, I wouldn't mind. Nah! Nope. It would still be gross."

Kevin's skin crawled at the thought of Dean giving him perverse looks up and down because he would regard his female self as an exotic Asian flower. "So gross," Kevin repeated, because it couldn't be said enough.

Silently, Castiel wondered how different his relationship with Dean would have been if he had taken an Asian woman as a vessel. It was an unusual thought. He remembered Anna and how quickly Dean had decided to sleep with her. Cas felt considerable turmoil on the subject. A apart of him was angry that Dean probably thought of him as less attractive than Anna or Asian women, but, at the same time, he wouldn't have wanted to be loved simply for being an Asian woman. The room and their conversation gave Castiel a slew of unexpected, unwanted thoughts and feelings.

"This is really BDSM."

"What does that mean?" Cas asked.

"You know, S&M," Kevin answered. "Sadomasochism? Do you know anything about sex? BDSM is about bondage, dominance, and submission. Like all this stuff, with chains and whips."

"For sex?" Cas asked plainly, cataloging Kevin's words in his head.

"Yeah," Kevin frowned. "Some people like being hit and hitting other people, but it's consensual. And fun for them, I guess. Do you think Sam and Dean use this room?"

"Maybe Sam," Castiel answered, much to Kevin's surprise. Such an answer couldn't go without a thorough explanation. Castiel and Kevin took a seat in the middle of the dungeon over a demon trap and Cas explained Sam's short-lived relationship with the demon Ruby and how she had influenced him into almost ending the world.

"He used to drink his girlfriend's _blood?_ No way. Like a vampire?"

"Yes, but don't ever mention that in front of Sam. Or Dean," Castiel said. "Sam was very negatively influenced by that relationship. He is a better person now, no longer addicted to demon blood."

"Okay, I promise. As long as you don't tell them I haven't been reading the tablet."

"We have an agreement."

They were about to leave the dungeon when Kevin bumped into a desk. Honest to God, an old copy of _The_ _Kama Sutra_ spilled out of the desk. Upon finding that book and gasping in a scandalized fashion, Kevin felt obligated to explain it to Cas.

Castiel had seen many sex acts in his life and had a basic knowledge of many, but he was unfamiliar with all of the terms Kevin used. Kevin, seeing an opportunity to educate his fellow man, began to draw Castiel pictures with the corresponding, up to date slang commonly associated with first, Castiel had been appalled and baffled by the lesson, but he slowly gained interest. Kevin had an unexpected amount of knowledge on the topic.

The prophet was very happy with their diversion. He had littered the floor with crude stick figures. "Cas, you're human now. That means you can have lots of sex and babies, and nobody can stop you, so you better put all this stuff to good use."

He put his hand on Cas' shoulder and smiled as if he'd just told Cas the most wonderful thing in the world.

"I don't know if I want to."

"You're going to want to," Kevin said knowingly. "At least the sex part. Trust me. …Unless you're asexual."

When Cas expressed confusion again, Kevin explained all the different types of sexualities that he knew about. Several were completely new to Cas. He didn't know why humans had such a fascination with labels. "Really, as soon as you get the chance, you should try to get laid," Kevin said. "I know that's what I would do."

"Why? Why does it matter so much?"

"What do you mean 'why?' I mean, it feels good, for one," Kevin leaned back and thought carefully. It wasn't just about how awesome orgasms were. "It's nice to be with someone. Because life is short. You're used to millions of years, but humans don't get that. Humans are lucky to have one hundred years, and hunters? Even less. Hunters would be lucky to last 50."

Kevin contemplated the world he had been thrust into. "I think about dying almost every day. I kind of expect it, so, if I found someone I cared about, I wouldn't let that person go. When you find someone like that, don't waste your time. You might not have any more left."

The dread of mortality hit Cas hard. Suddenly, the child before him made him contemplate the world in a different way. Kevin sulked, lamenting the fact that most of the girls he ran into now were evil.

"Kevin! Cas!" Sam and Dean's voices echoed down the hall. The door behind Cas opened abruptly and Dean peeked his head in.

"Oh! You found the dungeon?! Sammy, they're in here!" Dean called. He entered the room and looked around before settling his gaze on Kevin and Cas. Quickly, his expression morphed into one of displeasure. Sam ran in to join his brother.

"Hey guys," Sam said, "What are you doing in here?"

"Did you angel proof the place like I asked?" Dean questioned in a surly tone.

"Yes," Kevin replied, indignant.

"What are you doing in here?" Dean surveyed the sexual drawings on the floor. His eyes caught on the _The_ _Kama Sutra_ and he fumed. "I asked you to do one thing, Kevin. Read the damn tablet, and you're in here giggling about sex like a couple of teenagers."

 _I am a teenager!_ Kevin thought loudly. His face fell because he felt a Dean storm coming. Noticing the drawings, Sam thought Kevin teaching Cas about sex was a little bit like the blind leading the blind.

"You were put on this earth for one reason!" Dean railed, causing Sam and Kevin to flinch, "You know what it's like out there! Why aren't you reading the tablet?"

Kevin remembered every AP exam he had ever studied for. He had given all of his time to those tests, staying up late, feeling the pressure from his mother, his friends, and his teachers. The tablets were those tests times a thousand. Translating the tablets wouldn't simply decide what college he got into, they would help decide the fate of the world. He was so sure he would crack, but he didn't. Kevin drew into himself and got up calmly. He walked up to Dean and gave him a defiant stare. "Did you remember my bourbon?"

"You little – "

Castiel joined the others with such speed it was as though he still had his angel quickness. He pulled Kevin back, protecting him with a defensive posture. "Don't upset the prophet," Cas said to Dean, fixing his blue eyes on him in the way he used to do when they first met. Cas had a newfound respect for Kevin. The boy was trying to understand things that couldn't be said in words with a limited human brain, and that was remarkable. Kevin had hope and innocence in a world that continued to let him down.

Dean saw Kevin looking at him with the same loathing and fear with which he used to look at his father. He felt himself becoming John and that terrified him. "Sorry," Dean said quietly to Kevin.

"He did read some of the tablet," Castiel said, in Kevin's defense, "But it was nothing of much use."

"What did it say?" Sam asked.

"Um. Basically, angels are infinite beauty and light. Beings of unfathomable power, created to protect humanity. They're the whole of a starry sky with sunbeam wings," Kevin babbled. "…and blue."

"What?" Dean and Sam asked.

"Blue. I don't know. I passed out and woke up tasting and hearing blue," Kevin explained, "Reading this tablet is as challenging as reading the demon tablet was."

He rubbed his eyes. Unbeknownst even to Kevin, the angel tablet had already taken a hold of him. He saw the world in tones much brighter than Sam, Dean, and Cas. Dean's eyes were radiant gems and Sam's smile was a gleaming bar of white. Most of the rooms in the bunker apart from the main room had either mood lighting or extremely dim light, but Kevin saw them all with a gleaming sheen.

"Sounds like you needed a little break," Sam said to Kevin, but he was really speaking to his brother. The taller Winchester stepped in to grab Kevin by the arm and give him a reassuring luminous smile. "We got your bourbon and three different kinds of kimchi. I got some that's ready to eat and this other kind that came in a bag... I'm not really sure what to do with it…"

Sam guided Kevin away, discussing cooking. As soon as Kevin was away from Dean, he felt better. Dean was left behind, feeling guilty, like an asshole.

"The prophet is a blessing," Castiel said to him before trailing behind Sam and Kevin, with _The_ _Kama Sutra_ and dirty drawings in tow.

_Infinite beauty and light?_

* * *

Kevin had a long conversation with Sam, in which Sam apologized and made excuses for Dean. They talked about everything, including the tablet and the new database Kevin had made with Cas on their arsenal of occult objects. Dean and Sam had also had a productive day. As Dean rustled up some burgers, he thought of the dead angel they had investigated. Like Castiel had anticipated, they were going suicidal. A freshly fallen angel had walked into a crowded part of the city, screaming, weeping, and shouting that God had forsaken him before impaling himself with his sword. Sam and Dean had seen the angel blade in the evidence room of the local police station themselves. With some unauthorized access to the station, the brothers had managed to steal the sword. There was no telling how many other angels were exhibiting self-destructive tendencies.

By the time the burgers were served, everyone had calmed. Dean made a special veggie burger just for Kevin. There was lettuce and tomato involved and everything. Dean was beginning to understand that he was no good at talking to Kevin. He didn't even know how to feed him, but he wouldn't stop trying to get it right. He did care about their young friend, even when Kevin wasn't discovering much useful information.

When Cas ate Dean's burger, the room lit up with light and soft sounds of ecstasy. Kevin and Sam couldn't stop snickering at Cas' reactions. Eating his veggie burger, Kevin did an imitation of Cas, giving a quiet moan, "This is _so_ good. Dean, this is really, really good."

"Cut it out." Dean had turned pink, but a gradual smile crept onto his lips. He would have been laughing if he weren't the object of humor.

Smelling the meat nearby, Kevin took a small bite out of Sam's burger. With honesty, Kevin remarked, "Seriously. You're surprisingly good at this."

"Well, thanks, Kevin."

"How is it even possible?" Cas stared at his juicy burger. "I didn't think these could get better."

Dean nearly melted off his chair to hide under the table. He squirmed shyly, unsure of what to do with his hands and fumbling over modest words. Kevin and Sam couldn't decide whether Cas or Dean was the more hilarious of the two.

* * *

When night fell, Dean wandered to his room, unaware of the tail he had behind him. Only when he opened his door was he startled by the presence of Cas next to him. "Geez!" Dean inhaled. "How do you do that? You're human!"

"Do what?" Cas asked, holding _The_ _Kama Sutra_ and his dirty drawings under his arm.

"Um…" Dean closed the room to his door, discerning Castiel's intentions. "Cas, you can't stay here tonight."

Castiel put on a quizzical expression. _Why?_ Dean heard the question without needing to have it uttered.

"You're a grown-ass man. I'm a grown-ass man. Grown-ass men don't have slumber parties every night. You've got to have your own room. I made one up for you earlier, just across the hall." Dean pointed Castiel to the door within his line of sight. He had been sure to select a room nearby. Promptly, he dragged Castiel over to it and turned on the light. It was a lovely room with warm lighting and the same double warding his bedroom had.

"I don't understand. You and Sam always shared motel rooms," Cas argued.

"That's different. Sammy and I are brothers."

"But you said we're brothers."

Dean lifted his hands in exasperation. "We are, but look. Sammy has his own room now and Sammy and I haven't slept in the same bed in _years_."

"Then why did we?" Cas clutched his book over his chest, thinking Dean was making something simple out to be something confusing. The oldest Winchester didn't have a good response to that inquiry.

"We just can't anymore," Dean swallowed, eyes lowering to the book in Cas' hands. "You need privacy. Privacy is one of those human things you'll need to get used to. If you ever want to test out those things Kevin taught you, you'll have to be alone or with – "

 _Someone else_. Dean couldn't bring himself to say it, but thankfully, Castiel spoke as he paused.

"Oh, I don't intend to use this knowledge. I'm keeping it as a memento, nothing more."

Grimly, Dean replied, "You're going to want to use that knowledge."

"Everyone keeps saying that." Castiel became distraught as he thought back to the last thing he remembered having heard in Heaven. "Even Metatron. I told you how my grace had been removed, but I didn't tell you what he said to me after. He said I should find a wife and have children so that when I died I could tell him the story of my mortal life. He wants to collect my life like he collects books."

Dean lit up with fury. The more he learned about what Metatron had done and said, the more he wanted to personally roast him alive over a fire and barbeque his wings. It hadn't been enough for him to slice open Cas' beautiful throat. He'd had to mock him as well. Castiel's dejected face provoked an outburst from Dean.

"You do the opposite of what that asshat says!" Dean snarled without thinking. Then, Dean put his hands on his hips and tried to calm himself down. It wasn't anymore his place to tell Cas what he should do than it was Metatron's. "Unless that's what you want… a wife and kids."

"No. I have never wanted a wife and children. At any rate, I don't deserve to have offspring, and I can't imagine anyone desiring me for what I really am."

"With all due respect, Cas, that is bullshit." Dean fidgeted, finding it nearly impossible to counter Cas' words without revealing too much about himself. The idea that Cas thought he was beyond being loved or that his children would be wicked because Cas thought of himself so lowly stirred all of Dean's emotions. "Your babies would be precious little shits, just like you… probably doing stuff wrong all the time, but lovable all the same. Lots of people desire you for who you are, and they damn well should! You are awesome."

"What people?" Castiel asked, disbelieving.

"People, Cas!" Dean sputtered. Anxiously, he said the first name he could think of that wasn't him and quickly felt dirty for having uttered it. "Meg! People like Meg, I guess. She seemed to have a thing for you. At least she did. She would if she were still alive."

"Meg is dead?" Castiel cried in horror.

_Oh… shit._

Dean spent the next several minutes in Castiel's room describing the way Meg had given her life to help them escape. Dean may have hated Meg and would never like her, but he gave her props where it was due. She had genuinely cared for Cas and had come through for all of them more than once. Castiel hadn't thought it was possible to detest Crowley more, but he did.

"She did a lot of bad – a lot of evil, but at least in the end she went out tryin' to stick it to Crowley." Unknown to Dean, her last request had been that they save Castiel. He slung an arm around Cas. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

In Dean's own words, the only person that would ever desire him was both a demon and dead. That sounded about right to Cas. Cas didn't cry. He only hoped she was in a place without suffering. Dean pulled Castiel into his body more tightly, almost crushing him. "I'm sorry."

… _if I found someone to care about, I wouldn't let that person go._

Castiel had practically nothing and the Winchester at his side was indisputably the most important thing he could ever have. The fallen angel gripped Dean close, unwilling to let him go. If Dean ever left him like Meg left him, he couldn't bear it. Knowing he wouldn't be able to bring Dean back anymore, he cried a single tear. Before Dean could see his tear, Castiel wiped his cheek into his shirt.

 _Aw, fuck, Winchester. What did you do?_ Dean glanced up at the ceiling and down to the bed where Cas had abandoned Kevin's teachings. He let his hands rub up and down Cas' back. At last, he whispered, "Come stay with me."

"But… What about those things you said?"

"It's okay. All that stuff I said is true, but uh," Dean sighed, inventing an excuse as quickly as possible. "I forgot about the Pillow Rule."

"What is that?"

"It's a human thing. You pick a pillow and you use that same pillow for a whole week," Dean explained. "You used my pillow so you gotta stay in my bed because that pillow belongs to my bed. Pillows and beds go together, naturally."

Dean leaned back to check to see if Castiel was buying his story. Confusion was plain on his features, "Can't I just use this one – "

"That's wasteful, Cas! Pillows don't grow on trees. There's a lot of empty space in my bed anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Just come to bed with me. If you still want to, that is…"

Soon, Castiel was back in the same spot on Dean's bed, resting his head on Dean's only pillow. Unlike the night before, Dean pulled back the covers to get ready to join Cas underneath them. He kicked off his jeans and tossed away his second shirt for more comfort. Watching Dean, Cas did the same because he thought that was the appropriate human custom. Behind the closed door, as soon as Dean turned off the light and was lying down, Castiel latched onto his body.

"H-Hey!"

Feeling Castiel's bare leg move against his, Dean sucked in a heady breath. He debated kicking Cas out, but he didn't. Dean wasn't sure what this meant. He had the intense desire to kiss Cas senseless, but was afraid he would be taking advantage of his cherished friend.

"Thank you, Dean."

"Yeah, no problem."

Cas' arm slid down his chest, giving him shivers. He was terrified he would repeat the kinds of sounds Cas had made at dinner. Then, Cas did something supremely odd that jarred Dean away from his sexual fantasies.

"Did you just _sniff_ me?" Dean asked, "You just took a whiff of me!"

"Yes."

"What the hell, Cas?!"

"Is that inappropriate?" Cas didn't wait for a response. "It's my senses, Dean. They are all awry. You used to smell differently. Stronger, in a good way. Now that scent is dulled. No matter how I try, I can't smell it."

"Well, good! It's my smell! You shouldn't be smellin' it!"

"My sense of smell has suffered. So has my vision," Castiel lamented. "My hearing as well. I used to be able to hear so well."

"Oh." Dean swallowed. "Superman lost his superpowers. Nothin' to worry about. You're a healthy human being."

"Not all of them. My abilities to taste and feel have been heightened."

"Really," Dean stated. He had noticed Castiel's obsession with food and drink. Cas rubbed into him, much like a cat, and a shuddering breath escaped Dean's lips. Castiel was entirely too fascinated by Dean's body as his hand slowly caressed over his chest to feel the beat of his heart. "Yup, that is my chest. What're you doing?"

Castiel knew exactly what he wanted, but didn't think he should say it. If he had to practice Kevin's lessons with anyone, he wanted to do them with Dean. "Does it bother you?"

"I am all kinds of bothered right now," Dean answered, aroused. In the dark, Castiel propped himself up to peer down at Dean. When he did, Dean let his hand trail down his back slowly in a soothing motion that made Cas' lips part with longing. _Life is short_ , Cas thought. Cas was terrified, but bold as he cradled the sides of Dean's face and bent down to kiss his full, waiting lips.


	3. Lessons with Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Dean and Cas spend the night together, Sam teaches Castiel a thing or two about modern technology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter! Thank you for sticking around for the ride!

Castiel kissed Dean sweetly, softly, angelically. There was no other way Dean could have imagined a kiss from Castiel. The touch of their lips, so tender, caused Dean's world to still completely. The Winchester's heart pounded in his chest as he met Castiel's determined, affectionate gaze. Dean was basking in that first kiss when Cas abruptly kissed him a second time, hard and urgent, robbing him of his breath. He didn't know he had been craving such a violently amorous kiss from Castiel until he was being overwhelmed by it. Dean groaned and returned the ferocity of Castiel's kiss.

Castiel didn't fight when Dean grabbed his rear and pulled him firmly on top of his body. From his position above, Cas instinctively rubbed their bodies together, relishing the heat of their friction and the way Dean gasped and trembled. Grinding against Dean, Cas' newly human body became affected by a sensory overload. He savored Dean's mouth with moans and discovered that one touch, or even a dozen, could never be enough.

Without his wings and that heavenly power Dean could feel but never see, Cas continued to be as grand as the cosmos to Dean. He was simultaneously night and day, with fiery, hard kisses and caresses balancing his inner softness that was as gentle as the void. Whatever he was or wasn't, Dean adored him wholeheartedly. In his mind, the scenario unfolding before him was too good to be true. Suddenly, Dean pulled their mouths apart to utter an alarmed question, "You're not possessed, are you?"

Castiel barely had time to process Dean's question and become offended before a splash of water collided with his face. Holy water, produced speedily from some unseen vial, dripped down Cas' face, pooling around his lips. He sat up, still straddling Dean, but his eyes had closed and he was wearing an expression of quiet rage.

"Oh, good." Dean sighed with relief.

A peeved voice said in reply, "You thought I was possessed?"

"N-No! Of course not!" The holy water on Castiel's face begged to differ. "No, Cas. You were just being so sexy – "

"That you thought I was a demon?!" Cas finished for him, furiously.

"Don't be mad. I'm sorry," Dean whispered and kissed the inside of Castiel's palm, his wrist, and up his arm with apologies. Possessing the now human Castiel to seduce him was the first thing Dean thought a demon might do because Castiel was one of his greatest weaknesses. That Cas, in any state of being, could want him at all felt unreal. "I'm sorry. It's just you, wanting me…"

"Correction. Wanted you. Past tense," Cas seethed.

"Cas, please." Dean's hands slithered around Castiel's torso, pushing his t-shirt up to allow his mouth access to his chest. Dean massaged down his back and over his hips, to ease Castiel's annoyance. Thrusting upwards, Dean felt Cas' solid erection through the wet cloth of his boxers. Face partially obscured by the t-shirt he'd allowed Cas to borrow, Dean breathed against the muscles of Cas' chest, "Present tense."

Denying Dean was nigh impossible. The former angel let the man beneath him gently pull off his shirt and then he hurried to wrap his arms around Dean. Whatever holy water hadn't been wiped away by his shirt, Dean kissed away with diligence. Cas felt so incredible in their seated embrace that he pleaded with hushed tones, "Please, touch me."

 _I'm dreaming_.

If Cas wasn't possessed, Dean thought he must have been dreaming. He kissed and sucked Castiel's throat, and massaged Cas' firm length though his boxers experimentally, taking pleasure in the way Cas reacted with sensitivity. When the skin of his palm finally wrapped around Castiel's hot member and his thumb gently swirled over his slickened tip, Cas cried, " _Dean_."

"Yeah?"

Castiel was too shy to beg for more or to verbalize anything at all so, instead, Cas kissed him passionately. Swiftly pushed down onto the bed, Cas made a tiny, lusty sound of astonishment when Dean began to stroke their arousals together. This was something Castiel had not learned. Most of what he had been taught involved a man and a woman, but he was happy to be surprised. It felt good and right to have Dean on top of him stimulating their cocks simultaneously. Sliding their bodies together in a sensual rhythm, Dean teased Cas' mouth with his tongue. Castiel responded with his own timid licks that were preludes to the ardent fusion of their mouths. The dark-haired male clawed into Dean's back, filling the room with muffled moans, and they came together, sullying Castiel's sweaty, exposed chest. At last, Dean tore away from Castiel's lips with a low groan.

Dean was shaking with happiness, unable to express his powerful emotions. He met Castiel's azure gaze with unabashed worship. Then, his eyes darted down, and he reddened at the sight of Castiel's naked torso, slick with a mixture of their come. "Fuck," he murmured in awe.

"I believe those are my sentiments as well." Castiel blinked up at the ceiling.

Dean brandished a naughty grin, deciding not to clean Castiel's chest. Eventually, he gathered the sticky man to the headboard and settled him comfortably back onto the only pillow. Cas was glowing with serene joy, but he favored Dean's chest to the pillow so he moved to rest against him, carefree. Dean trailed his fingers over Cas' skin, marveling at the way the fallen angel responded to his touches. The first time he had ever met Castiel, he had stabbed him in the chest and the angel hadn't flinched. Now, Castiel was practically purring at his delicate, feather-like caresses. Castiel's eyes fluttered closed and he drifted off to sleep with a hint of a smile on his lips. When he was sure Castiel was fast asleep, Dean confessed in a voice that was almost softer than a sigh. "I love you."

Castiel did not move when Dean placed a solitary, tender kiss over his brow.

* * *

Cas woke up to the feeling of lips on his shoulder. He found himself settled against Dean's body, sharing the pillow. Dean's arm was draped around his midsection, holding him close. It was uncertain how long Dean had been up, adoring him in silence. Dean pulled his mouth away when he realized Castiel was awake. "Mornin'," he said to Castiel's back. "I was just – er, you know…"

 _Not molesting you in your sleep._ **_Not_ ** _molesting you in your sleep._

Castiel turned over to regard Dean with an affected blue gaze. "Good morning, Dean."

Worried he was being too clingy, Dean inched away, but Castiel held him near. "Don't."

That single word prompted a long session of kisses and caresses that seemed unlikely to ever end. They were a warm, blissful tangle of lips and limbs. Finally, Dean whispered, "Cas, I have to shower."

The fallen angel halted briefly. He wondered how humans ever stopped kissing once they began. He didn't think anything could ever feel better than Dean and he preferred having him near. "I would like to go with you," Castiel said, "Unless there is some human rule prohibiting – "

Dean crushed his mouth to Castiel's and all but carried Cas into the shower. They were multi-tasking, Dean explained. Multi-tasking was a highly valued skill among humans, and showering together saved water, which was good for the environment, Dean argued.

Dean's suggestion that everyone in the bunker should keep a close eye on Castiel worked against Dean that morning as Sam approached his bedroom door. He knocked once, worried. When Sam heard no reply he quickly knocked a second time. "Dean! You awake? Hey, I can't find Cas," Sam explained. "Open up!"

Silence.

"I'm coming in there," Sam warned. "Dean, you better be wearing clothes."

Sam opened the door and was startled by the disarray before him. Dean was nowhere to be found, but now Sam was positive he knew where Castiel had been. Two sets of boxers had been strewn across the room with reckless abandon along with the clothing Castiel had been wearing the day before. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what had transpired in the night.

"Oh. _Oh_ ," Sam breathed. There were two glasses on the nightstand, the sheets of Dean's bed were a wreck, and Castiel's dress pants had been slung over a chair in the corner with his necktie folded neatly on top. Even the air of the room had an erotic aroma. As far as Sam was concerned, there may as well have been a big, flashing neon sign in the middle of Dean's room that read: "I Fucked Castiel."

Sam fidgeted at the doorway. He took a few seconds to process what he knew to be the truth and what he had always known. All the things Dean had always refused to speak to him about made so much sense now. All the intense gazes, all the worrying, all the praying, and all the attachment Dean had for Cas indicated that this scenario had always had a high likelihood of becoming a reality.

Sam could hear the shower and he entered his brother's bedroom without looking into the open door of the bathroom. If he turned, he was certain he knew what he would see, but, he did not want to see it, he wanted to _hear_ it from his brother's lips. "Hey, Dean!"

This time when Sam called, Dean heard him. He jumped in the shower and pressed Castiel into the corner as if it was possible to hide him within the glass enclosure. He brought a finger to his lips to warn Cas not to speak. "Yeah, Sammy?" he called to Sam. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Cas?" Sam questioned, feigning ignorance. Before Castiel could reply, he found Dean's hand over his mouth.

"Nope." Dean replied. "Why?"

"He wasn't in his room. I can't find him anywhere!" Sam called. "It looks like he never slept in his bed at all."

Dean panicked. Noticing the irritation flashing on Cas' features, Dean removed his hand from his mouth and kissed him quickly. "That's weird. I'm sure it's fine, Sammy! I'll help you look for him when I get dressed!"

"Are you serious?" Sam grumbled quietly under his breath, unheard by Dean. He was insulted, and had half a mind to barge into the bathroom in that instant. "Okay," Sam called to his brother. "See you in the main room!"

Sam left, closing the door behind him, and Cas silently cursed his inability to disappear.

* * *

If Castiel had loved Dean any less, he might have been offended to the point of fury after the way Dean had lied to his brother. But, soon after Sam left, Dean showed Castiel that his tongue was talented at more than lying. His experience with Dean in the shower surpassed even the pleasure of the night. Dean fed Cas excuses and falsehoods, but he touched him with enough passion and adoration to dissolve his resentments. When Castiel appeared in the main room, wearing one of Dean's old AC/DC t-shirts and the same jeans that Sam had seen littered on his brother's floor, he took a spot next to Sam, completely forgetting that Sam had almost walked in on them earlier. "Good morning, Sam."

Dean entered, carrying two mugs of coffee. "You found Cas, huh?"

Gobsmacked, Sam took the mug offered to him. Cas did his best to not bow down at the eldest Winchester's feet in reverence as he accepted his own mug. Castiel thought Dean was perfection, flaws and all. "I'm gonna make waffles." Dean smiled. "I found an old school waffle iron in the kitchen. Sound good?"

Not hearing any protests, Dean made his way to the kitchen, leaving Sam and Cas alone together. Castiel wore his heart on his sleeve. With a besotted expression plastered on his face, Cas followed Dean out of the room with his dreamy gaze. He was so focused on thinking about Dean that he lost his grip on the mug in his hands. The mug was a hair away from spilling hot brew all over the floor when Sam rapidly tilted Castiel's mug back up. "Whoa! Cas, be careful!"

The fallen angel gasped. "Oh, thank you."

Sam had to ask Cas about what was being flagrantly paraded around him in so-called secrecy. He began to interrogate Cas in the most roundabout manner possible. "Do you not like your room?"

"It's a fine room," Castiel returned, sipping his coffee with a Dean-induced sigh. Even when Dean wasn't in the room, Cas was fantasizing about what he had done and said. He was thinking about his wet, freckled cheeks and his strong fingers on his hips. Cas had never seen Dean in such a position, willingly kneeling before him, and he couldn't get it out of his head.

"Have you been having trouble sleeping?" Sam asked. "I went by your room this morning, and it looked like you hadn't slept there at all."

"I slept," Castiel said, providing an unsatisfactory, cagey answer. Finally focusing on Sam, Cas discerned distress on his features and falsely assumed his maladies were completely physical, rather than attributed to the deception around him. "Don't worry about me. I am adapting well to my human body – as well as I can. I rest when necessary. And you? Are you well? How are you feeling today?"

"I'm not one hundred percent, but I feel better everyday."

"Did you take the medicine your brother purchased for you?"

"Yeah…" Sam moped. He could no longer dance around the topic. "I'm more upset about something else."

"What is it?" Castiel leaned forward with such earnest concern on his features that Sam thought he understood why Dean most likely preferred his company and trusted him more. Cas was effortlessly so endearing.

Sam wiped his nose and regrettably told Cas the truth. "Dean."

"Your brother? Why?"

"I know he said nothing will ever come before me, and I believe him," Sam said, his eyes going a little glossy. "He's all the family I have left. But… he still doesn't trust me. I know he lies to me. Right to my face."

"Your brother does trust you," Cas reassured him.

"Maybe. Maybe not. He doesn't always seem to. Not about everything."

"To what are you referring?" Castiel had a good idea, but a part of him believed Sam was talking about something else. If it was something else, Cas might be able to help.

"All the things you're not allowed to tell me." Sam looked Cas dead in the eyes. Sam was sniffling because he was sick, but he was also clearly emotional. Sam wanted to live and he wanted to feel like a part of other people's lives, especially Dean's. Sam felt so shut out from both of them that it was nearly debilitating. Castiel knew he had to lie and he hated it because lying to Sam felt like kicking a puppy. Lying to Sam while he was sick was even worse. Cas was angry that Dean had put him into this situation. He was angry that withholding information was acceptable as long as it was Dean that was doing it. Cas and Sam had both been targets of Dean's rage when they had been the ones keeping things from Dean, but now they were sitting beside each other navigating around Dean's disingenuousness. Castiel avoided candor, but said the least untruthful thing he could manage.

"Perhaps he is embarrassed of the thing he wishes to hide."

When Cas answered him, Sam felt wounded on Castiel's behalf. He had never thought of things in that light, from Castiel's perspective. Sam had only been thinking that Cas and Dean had a special camaraderie and relationship that he was not privileged enough to even know about, much less participate in. Now, he saw in Castiel's eyes how it hurt the former angel to be a source of constant denial for Dean. Cas didn't know how much Dean loved him. He may not have known exactly why he was hurt, but he was troubled on a level that Sam could see.

"Dean loves no one more than he loves you. No one," Castiel said after a moment of silence. His words did not have a trace of judgment or jealousy. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"I don't need him to love me the most… I just want him to confide in me again. More like he used to. We're brothers. We're supposed to talk about everything."

"Then maybe you should tell him that," Castiel suggested. He changed the subject. "Where is the prophet?"

Sam nodded. "Oh, he came down to make coffee, but then went straight back to his room. It looked like he'd been burning the late night oil."

"Oil? What oil?" Castiel questioned. "Does this bunker not rely completely on electricity?"

"No, Cas." Sam smiled faintly. "I mean it looked like he'd been up all night. It's a figure of speech."

"Oh. Of course." Cas' grinned one of his odd, embarrassed grins.

"Can I ask you something?" Sam asked suddenly.

"Anything."

"About what I did. Do you think I did the right thing?" Sam met Castiel's eyes. He was guilt-ridden and insecure. "About not closing the gates, I mean. I know Kevin still thinks I should have done it, even though he won't admit it anymore. Dean's been telling me the opposite. But, you – well – you can be the tie-breaker."

Cas believed that Sam had invented a collection of wretched smiles, and that he had selected a particularly heartrending one from his assemblage to smile now. Looking at the broken Winchester, Cas wanted to tell Sam exactly what he wanted to hear. "I'm honored that you would seek my opinion on anything," Cas said, "But I don't know. I am unreliable when it comes to passing good judgment."

Sam deflated. Everything in his heart was telling him he had let down the world even if he had not let down his brother.

"But," Cas elaborated, "I do believe that if a person has saved the world once, maybe that's enough."

Sam perked up, hopeful.

"You kept the world together, Sam," Cas said with sincerity that Sam felt in his bones. "In comparison, I have only ever made it fall apart."

"No, Cas – "

"Yes." Cas was firm. He had no doubt that Sam, in his short life, had done more good for the planet than he had done over eons. "Perhaps, if you have an angel aspiring to be more like you, even if it is an angel – _former_ angel – as defective as myself… you are on the right path."

Sam almost cried into his coffee mug.

Castiel hoped his answer was good enough. He had nothing else to add so he glanced to the laptop before his friend. Sam had opened his email the instant Castiel had joined him and had closed all of the windows of his research to prevent Cas from seeing any news about the fallen angels. The news was not good and Sam was keeping to their agreement of shielding Cas. The computer drew Castiel's interest and seemed like a good distraction from the heavy topic of their past mistakes.

"What is that?" Castiel pointed to the laptop screen.

Sam sat up in his chair and wiped his face. "What, this? It's my laptop, Cas."

"No." Cas pointed at the square in the center of the screen. "That white box. What is its purpose?"

"That's my email." Seeing that Castiel was still befuddled, Sam elaborated, happy to assist Castiel in learning something new. "You know how text messages work? It's really similar. People communicate with each other using email. It's like paper mail… but electronic, so much better. It's instant. Actually, the 'e' in 'email' stands for 'electronic.' That's what it means. 'Electronic mail.'"

"You _email_ the prophet," Castiel stated, reading the name 'Kevin Tran' in Sam's 'inbox.' Sam smirked at the reverent way Cas was fond of calling Kevin 'the prophet.'

"Yeah, all the time. Sometimes it's the easiest way to get a hold of him."

"Oh." Castiel sat up and peered more closely at the machine. On the bottom of the screen, there were several icons that drew his attention. He knew one stored the knowledge of human activities. "You research through the laptop. Please, allow me to research with it."

"Uhhh…" Sam's eyes darted away and he decided if he stalled long enough, perhaps he could distract Castiel from doing any actual research on the topic he knew would only upset Cas. "Okay. But, let me give you a tutorial first. It's good for you to know these kinds of things. You know, the basics of human stuff."

Castiel sat through a verbose lesson on the mechanics of the laptop and on the Internet with far too much information given on search engines and web browsers. Sam pulled up his favorite browser for general research and showed Cas how to search things. A good deal of what the young Winchester said went directly over Castiel's head.

"…and that's why people say 'Google it.' It basically means, 'look it up.' So, now you try."

Sam tilted the laptop in Cas' direction and the fallen angel regarded it with suspicious awe. Typewriters had been incredible to him and the machine before him left typewriters in the dust. "I want to _Google_ the angels. What word should I enter?"

"Why don't we do a test run? Just type something you like first and I'll show you the basics. Then later we'll get to the angels."

"Something I like?" Castiel hesitated. He knew where the Winchesters were so he couldn't type 'Winchesters.' Castiel reached for the keys of the laptop and slowly keyed in the following word:

_C-A-T-S_

"Okay. Now, push 'enter.' Only old people click the search button." Sam was fighting giggles because Castiel had taken about thirty seconds to type one four-lettered word.

"Where's 'enter?'" Castiel panicked, unable to find the key. " _What_ is 'enter?'"

"It's this one." Sam pointed to the key without addressing the existential crisis Castiel seemed to be having about what 'enter' meant.

"So there you go. Cats galore." By now Sam was smiling an honest smile. "The first hit is Wikipedia. That happens a lot. Articles pop up here – "

"Cat articles?"

"And cat webpages." Sam regarded Cas, feeling incredible mirth with how he was about to blow Castiel's mind. "If you click this button you'll see images."

"Can you show me how to 'click' again?"

 _Oh my God. He is an old man. My brother is screwing a geezer._ Sam took a moment to hold himself together. He didn't blame Castiel for not knowing any of the things he was learning, but it was cute nonetheless. Once the cradle-robbing implications of Cas' relationship with Dean passed out of his mind, Sam clicked for Castiel. There was an audible sigh as cats conquered the screen.

"There's so…. many."

"Hey, what're you lookin' at?" Dean asked as he walked in carrying two plates of waffles doused in syrup. "Not porn is it?"

Sam looked up at his brother who was aiming a meaningful expression at him. Sam returned the gaze and silently confirmed that he knew he was supposed to keep Cas away from certain topics. When Dean found the two men staring at an abundance of cats, he said, "Oh."

Mission Distract Cas was a success. He barely looked up at Dean when the plate of waffles was placed in front of him. "Hey, don't forget to eat," Dean said to Cas. "I'm gonna take a plate up to Kevin."

"Where did they all come from?" Castiel asked. "Who are the owners of all these cats?"

Dean disappeared and Sam stuffed his mouth full of Dean's spectacular waffles as he continued to scroll down the page. When they reached a certain cat, Sam stopped and burst into laughter. He clicked on it and just continued to laugh.

Castiel didn't understand the joke. "Why does this cat say, 'I Can Has Cheezburger?'"

Sam doubled over, struggling to breathe. "I don't know. I don't know how to explain it."

"This is a joke. I don't understand. Felines don't consume cheeseburgers." Suddenly, Castiel's eyes widened and he gasped, "Do they?"

Sam choked on his waffle and coughed from the hilarity. "No. They don't. Uh, it's an Internet thing. I don't know how to explain it. The Internet just loves cats."

Castiel narrowed his eyes, unsure if he was comfortable with having things in common with amorphous entities, but then he realized he himself was usually an amorphous entity. _I am the Internet._

"I like the Internet," Cas decided. He spoke as though the Internet was a sentient being.

"It's pretty amazing," Sam commented. They got distracted by many other cats and Sam finished his waffle. "Hey, Cas, I'll be right back. I'm going to check on Dean."

"But what about the angels?"

"You're an expert now. You can drive," Sam reassured him. He stood up and set the computer in front of Cas. "Just try not to get syrup on it."

Sam was gone. Looking at his breakfast, Cas realized the request made of him would be nearly impossible. He wanted to respect Sam's marvelous machine, so he reasoned that his right hand would be for eating and he would use his left hand for 'Googling.' Castiel was not ambidextrous, so, using the track pad, clicking, and typing for him with his left hand was like stumbling in the dark with a blindfold on. In an attempt to search for the angels in the search box, he somehow managed to minimize all the windows. "No. No!" Castiel lamented. "Come back!"

Alas, the windows would not return. Instead, the cursor hovered over an item labeled 'Dean's Anime.' Castiel didn't even know what a folder was, but it had Dean's name on it so he wanted to discover what the item was. He looked around for Dean or Sam, but neither was around. "Sam?" Castiel called. "What's anime?"

After several endeavors to open the folder, he succeeded. He 'clicked' and 'entered' his way to opening a video file. _Oh, it's a cartoon._ Castiel had watched cartoons before and liked them, but he had no idea why Dean would have them. Very soon, it became apparent. "What…" Castiel breathed as events unfolded before his eyes in a horrifying fashion. "What is that tentacle doing – "

Castiel's exclamation of revulsion went unheard. The fallen angel pleaded, " _Sam!_ "

He touched every button within his reached but only succeeded in fast forwarding and rewinding the atrocious anime porn.

"What's that?" A voice called behind him. It was Kevin. "Hentai? Why are you watching hentai? I thought you were an angel."

"How do I make it stop?" Castiel was one frustrated keystroke away from smashing the laptop.

"What's happening?" Dean rushed in, his face full of terror because he had heard the familiar anime moans and screams. He ripped the laptop away before Castiel could smash the machine to bits.

"What was that?" Castiel shuddered.

Dean was so flustered he couldn't answer. He rapidly clicked, typed, and created new folders to hide his porn.

"Oh, Dean. Figures." Kevin had gladly eaten Dean's waffles, but that did not mean he would refrain from showing disapproval of him.

"You don't judge another man's porn!"

" _Asian fetish_ ," Kevin hissed with heavy contempt and Castiel caught a strong whiff of bourbon. Kevin was judging Dean hard.

Dean opened the 'My Documents' folder and created the following nestled folders: Untitled > Nothing > Nada > Not Your Business > Dean's Personal Private Stuff > Not For You > Do Not Look > Don't Click > DO NOT CLICK > Cas no > DO NOT FUCKING CLICK CASTIEL > Anime.

"What'd I miss?" Sam had returned from helping Dean by doing the dishes.

"Cas found Dean's anime," Kevin explained.

"Oh." Sam peered at his brother, who seemed to be sweating and trying to figure out if there was a way to password protect folders. "Gotcha."

"That's enough computer time." Dean shut the laptop hastily and set it on the opposite side of the table, away from Cas. Castiel still appeared somewhat traumatized. Dean avoided eye contact with everyone. "Okay, let's go."

In unison, the other men of the bunker asked, "Where?"

"We're gonna go get you inked up, Cas."

The fallen angel in question became all ears. Of course Dean was referring to the anti-possession tattoo. At some point during their throes of passion, Dean had promised Castiel that he would get inked first thing in the morning. Cas thought it was an excellent idea, and not only just because he wished to avoid holy water in the face during their intimate moments.

"Sweet." Kevin nodded with approval, but Dean shut him down.

"Not you, Kevin."

"What? Why?" Kevin stuttered in shock. "You see! This is why I like Sam better!"

Dean was genuinely hurt by Kevin's statements and regarded him with air of despondency.

"Pfft. Nah, I'm just kidding, even though you're mean." Kevin smiled, swaying a little on his feet. "I love you both, equally, in a Stockholm Syndrome kind of way."

"Are you drunk?" Dean shot back.

Brazenly, Kevin lied, "No."

"Kevin, maybe it's better if you stay. I think what Dean is trying to say is that it's kind of our fault you've been kidnapped so many times. The bunker is the safest place for anyone. It's the safest place for you," Sam reasoned. "You're as precious as the tablet."

"Sam, don't." Kevin lifted his hand in a Don't Even Go There kind of gesture. Sam was doing his puppy eyes on him and Kevin was having none of it. "I have been working for – for _lots_ of hours. Maybe since that time we had burgers. Was that yesterday?"

"You seem unable to stand properly," Castiel remarked.

"Cas. I want to be there for you. For your tat." Kevin argued, "Listen, guys. I like this tablet. It's shiny. You know, Heaven's totally amazeballs."

Sam and Dean gawked. "Amazeballs?"

"Yeah, have you ever stared at an oncoming freight train in the middle of the night?" Kevin posed. "It's exactly like that. Reading this tablet. So, I just want to not look at the light, for an hour or two. And I want to be there when Cas gets his ink."

"I get that," Dean countered, "But you can't go out in public like that. If Child Protective Services sees us, it's _over_. They'll be asking why we've got a kid, drunk in public."

"I'm not a kid!" Kevin cried. "Look, I'll be cool."

Kevin stood up straight and put on a poker face. Sam shrugged at Dean, indicating that he was okay with taking the prophet along. "I can protect him, Dean," Castiel claimed. "I am prepared."

"I said no, and that's a no."

Suddenly, Kevin gaped directly at Dean, his mouth hanging open in wonder. "Is that a hickey?"

Dean began to reach for his neck, but stopped himself when he realized it only made him look guiltier. But then, stopping also made him look guilty. Face stiff, Dean answered, "You're hallucinating again."

"No, dude, that is a hickey."

"What's a 'hickey?'" Castiel frowned, shifting his eyes between Dean and Sam. He tensed, thinking it sounded like the name of an invisible monster.

The prophet was more than happy to further his education. "Aw, you know, Cas. When two people are making out and they suck on each other – "

"Okay, fine! You can come!" Dean interrupted loudly. "But you shut your mouth until you are sober."

"Okay." They took a minute or two to get ready and as soon as they were out of the door, Kevin groaned in a vampiric fashion. "It's so bright. Too bright!"

"I said mouth _shut!_ "

* * *

On the way into town, Kevin rode shotgun because, in his words, he was the 'mother fucking Prophet.' He was wearing a pair of Dean's shades and nodding in and out of consciousness. Sam didn't mind riding in the back with Cas because he had other things to teach him. He had spoken to Dean about getting Cas a phone and there was no better time than a long car ride to show Cas how to use it. The town where Dean had made Castiel's tattoo appointment was slightly over an hour away.

"It's a smart phone." Sam smiled and turned it on for Cas after setting it up for him. "That's the power button, okay?"

Castiel was already overwhelmed. It looked suspiciously like a miniature computer, but with hardly any buttons. "What's a smart phone? This doesn't look like the cell phone I used to have. Why can't I have that one again?"

"This one is better. Smart phones can do way more than what your old phone could do."

"Was my previous phone a simpleton?"

Dean burst into laughter. "Cas, take the damn phone."

"It's like a tiny computer. It's fun. Trust me, Cas. You'll like it once you get the hang of it." Sam saw that Cas still did not trust the technology. "If you get lost, there's a map app you can use to find where you are. Also, it has the Internet."

That caught Castiel's attention and he took the phone. If the phone had Internet, he could Google his brethren. Whatever an 'app' was, it sounded useful too. Sam gave Cas the best lesson he could give him, showing him his contact list and how to use a few of the more important apps. His lesson made Sam nostalgic of the way he had shown Dean how to use his phone. Dean had been just as stubborn as Cas in adopting the new technology. Dean had believed smart phones to be flashy, expensive, and unnecessary, but now apps excited him.

"Hey, Sammy. Did you ever get that monster app thing Charlie had?"

"No, not yet."

 _Damn it_. Dean frowned at the road. He was a traditionalist about many things, but he was aching to play with Charlie's app. He glanced over to Kevin and was happy to see him in a drunken slumber.

"You mentioned a _speedy dial_." Cas cut in. "How do I put Dean as 'one'?"

"Speed dial. And you can't have Dean as 'one.'"

"Aw, I'm touched." In the driver's seat, Dean blushed.

"Why not?" Castiel asked.

"One is your voicemail. It's like that on all phones, but I can show you how to make him number two."

Lots of clumsy fumbling later, Dean had been set as 'two,' Sam as 'three,' Kevin as 'four,' and Garth as 'five.' The lesson on texting began next, much to Castiel's delight. At times, things were more complex on the supposedly 'smart' phone, but he was learning more easily than he learned the laptop. Cas texted Dean.

"Dean, check your text," Sam said.

"I'm driving! Why'd you text me? Text Sammy."

"Just check your messages."

"This is a PSA commercial waiting to happen." Dean fished for his phone, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

> _Hello Dean._

Dean could have crashed the car. He would never again behold a cuter text. He pulled over. "I'm texting back."

"But…" Sam began only to be cut off by Dean.

"This is important."

Dean typed quickly.

> _**Hey Cas. ;)** _

The sound made by the text startled Castiel, but when he opened the new message (all on his own) he beamed at it. The winky face was gloriously animated. "How did he create a face?"

"It's called an emoticon." Sam showed him some basic emoticons.

Castiel's next text read:

> _:-) ;-) :-* :D  ♥ ☆_

Sam swore Dean practically _giggled_ upon receiving it.

> **_Try txting me words, angel_ **
> 
> _I don't know what to say._
> 
> _**You're an adorable fuck** _

Castiel turned bright red upon reading Dean's text. The last time Dean had used that word they had both been totally naked. He wasn't sure what this text meant. Did it mean he was adorable at fucking?

"How do I delete messages?" Castiel hid the phone from Sam, but Sam had already seen too much. Dean was grinning like such a loon that it was almost audible. He pulled back on the road after sending one last text.

> _♥_

"Did you just send Cas a heart?" Sam huffed. He couldn't believe it. Their first phone lesson dissolved into flirting at the speed of sound.

"Must have been an accident. A butt dial – butt _text_."

Sam ignored Dean.

"Okay, now try calling someone." Sam instructed Castiel and Cas called Sam. Sam picked up and said 'hello.' They stared at each other on the phone from less than two feet away.

"I can hear you," Castiel said to Sam.

The youngest Winchester hung up. _Awkward_. He called Cas and a generic ringtone rang on Castiel's phone. "Try to pick it up like I showed you. You have to slide the, ok, yeah, you got it."

Castiel didn't have it. He kept pawing at the phone, unable to get the movement down perfectly.

"C-Cas, it's just that little strip at the bottom," Sam sighed. The ringing of the phone disturbed Kevin.

"What's happening?!"

"Nothing, go back to sleep," Dean said to Kevin.

Kevin collapsed before Dean could finish saying 'sleep.'

* * *

By the time they reached the tattoo parlor, Castiel had mastered texting, had set up his voicemail, and had learned how to play TETRIS. Sam had been amused for almost every second as the fallen angel tried to figure out what he found to be so mundane. Cas was confused by things Sam found to be so simple and amazed by things he thought were quite ordinary.

"You've got a great photo gallery now," Sam remarked. Within Castiel's photo gallery was a picture of Cas' shoes, a blurry picture of the side of the car door, a picture of the back of Dean's head, a picture of Kevin sleeping with half of Sam's face in the frame, two fairly decent photos of Sam, and one awkward 'selfie.'

Cas texted a photo of Sam to Dean, quite proud that he had learned how to attach files to texts. "I can see how this may come in handy."

"Okay, kids! Up and at 'em!" Dean put the parking brake on the Impala after finding a spot in front of the tattoo parlor. Kevin groaned and oozed out of the car to join the others in front of the building. He was now regretting the bourbon.

The four men stood in front of the establishment and regarded the sign. "Bucky's tattoo?"

"It got rave reviews." Dean shrugged. He had been emailing Bucky and he seemed like an upstanding kind of guy with a respectable business. "C'mon, Cas. Let's get you inked."

When Dean gave Cas a pat on the shoulder and tried to walk with him, Cas didn't move. He was a block of ice, staring at the strange place with trepidation. Only at that moment had he begun to consider the pain. Since his sexual experiences were more intense, he was convinced he would also be more sensitive to pain. Moreover, Cas' body was a temple and there was something that bothered him deeply about having another man touch him for long periods of time, marring his flesh. Cas only wanted to be touched, kissed, licked, bitten, sucked, and marked by Dean.

"What's wrong?" Dean frowned. "Cas, you're not scared, are you?"

"No, not scared," Cas lied through his teeth. He was already picturing a stranger touching his naked body and it made him want to run down the street screaming. This situation was so unlike any he had ever faced in Heaven. "Not scared. Concerned."

"It does hurt a little bit," Sam said. The youngest Winchester gave Castiel a run-down of everything that would happen, from the cleaning to the stenciling and the kind of pain Castiel was likely to feel.

"Man, it doesn't hurt at all," Kevin bragged, proudly showing his own tattoo off to Castiel. The prophet could get away with the lie because Cas wanted to believe him so badly.

Dean gave Kevin an incredulous look because he distinctly remembered the way Kevin had cried and clung onto his mother's hand when he had gotten inked. "Yeah, you'll be fine," Dean reassured Cas. "You're an angel of the Lord, buddy."

Kevin and Sam both visibly tensed. _Not anymore, Dean._ Catching his mistake, Dean hurried to correct himself. "What I mean is, mojo or no mojo, you're a tough son of a bitch. You can handle anything."

Now, Castiel was embarrassed that he had caused his friends to stress and stall on his behalf. "It's a necessary evil," Castiel answered softly and walked into the parlor.

"Good afternoon. Welcome to Bucky's Tattoo." A man that must have been Bucky stood up and smiled upon the four men. Castiel became newly frozen. The man was easily Sam's height, but was twice as broad. He had a dark, full beard and tattoos on every visible inch of his skin but his face. He was an enormous figure of hair and tattoos.

"Hey, I'm Dean. I called earlier."

"I thought so!" Bucky replied. In spite of his imposing characteristics, he was gentle to the core. "This must be your pal, Cas."

Terrified, Castiel didn't say a word.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Bucky." He shook hands and was introduced to everyone. Bucky pulled out the drawing Dean had sent him in advance and said the design would be simple and shouldn't take long. It was a cool tattoo, he said. "Alright, I'll have to see some ID."

Bucky had addressed Castiel and the fallen angel only responded by frowning more deeply and displaying more heightened terror. Was Bucky referring to his fake FBI badge? Castiel felt so unprepared he thought he might begin to sweat. Certainly Bucky would discover he was an imposter of a human and throw him out of his establishment.

"No problem. Here you go." Dean opened his own wallet and offered Bucky Castiel's ID. Bucky was surprised that Dean was holding onto Castiel's ID, but he took it without a comment.

"Uh, his wallet's all jacked up," Dean explained. He had a strange feeling that he now knew how women felt when they carried all their husband's things in their purses. Dean took the paperwork and filled it out for Cas. There was a small space to sign that he passed over to Cas.

Castiel's mouth hung ajar. He didn't know what to do with the paper. He didn't have a signature because he'd never signed anything before. Dean leaned in and whispered, "Just make a squiggle."

Castiel obeyed and the tedious portion was done.

"You're a long way from Maine, huh?" Bucky was trying to make small talk with Cas to get him to loosen up, and it failed miserably. Castiel only vaguely remembered what Maine was. Bucky handed Castiel his fake ID. "Maine?"

"Oh, yes," Castiel squeaked. "Very far."

Castiel shyness was both painful and adorable. Bucky had seen many people anxious before getting inked, but there was something different about Cas. His entourage was so concerned in a wholesome kind of way that delighted the tattoo artist. "I'll take good care of you, don't worry. So where do you want it?"

"Want what?" Castiel trembled. The drawing was lifted to his eyesight and Cas hesitated. He hadn't given a single thought to where he would like to be tattooed. He turned to Dean in a panic. "Where do I put it?"

"Cas, it's your body. You can decide." Dean grinned, but it was an awkward grin because he could feel a scene coming on.

"Where do you think I should put it? Where do _you_ want it?" At this statement, Bucky erupted into a full smile. Kevin approached Bucky and asked to see the drawing. Silently, the prophet took it to the front desk.

"It really doesn't matter," Dean said in a hushed tone, realizing that all eyes were on them. "You can put it on your ass, for all I care!"

"Is that…" Castiel was about to turn to tell the tattoo artist he wanted the tattoo on his ass, but he stopped, sure that Dean was toying with him. He didn't appreciate it because this was a very serious matter to him. His body would be forever changed after today.

"Okay, not your ass. Let's not do the ass. Uh, avoid the arms and the legs," Dean suggested, remembering what had happened to Linda Tran with great regret. "Somewhere on the torso, but not the ass."

"I'll get mine where you have yours then."

Dean's face colored because of the innocent, intimate way Castiel had spoken. Bucky had heard every word and he couldn't stop smiling if he tried. He thought Dean and Cas were an adorable couple. Kevin saved the day, appearing in between the two.

"On your back, over the shoulder blades. You should get it on your back." Kevin's bourbon laced suggestion was accompanied by a modified drawing. He had taken the design and embellished it with stylized wings on either side of the central symbol. His modification had been inspired by his tablet visions of angels, and it was a truly beautiful addition. When Castiel saw it, his eyes lit up with adoration and gratitude.

He could have wings again, even if they were minuscule imitations. Cas took the drawing, wanting to weep at the delicate curves Kevin had drawn. "It's beautiful."

Still wearing Dean's shades, Kevin smirked and gave a small bow. "It suits you."

Sam took a look at the drawing and agreed. "This tattoo doesn't belong anywhere but on your back."

"Can we do that?" Dean stared at Bucky. "Can we add the wings?"

"Heck yeah!" The artist had watched over Kevin's sketching and been impressed by his steady hand, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that his customer's eyes filled with love at the sight of the new design. He wanted his customers to love what they got on their bodies and Castiel loved wings. "Your buddy wants wings, we'll get him wings."

"Please." For the first time since entering the shop, Cas lips formed into the tiniest smile.

While Bucky prepared his station and the new drawing, Kevin, Sam, and Dean prepared Castiel. "You have to take off your shirt," Dean said.

"In front of everyone?" Cas whispered, newly anxious. He had assumed there would be a private room, but the chair was in an open area, screaming of exhibitionism. His eyes darted around. It was broad daylight. "There's a _window_."

Dean glanced to the front entrance and sighed. He desperately wanted to kiss Cas' worries away, but he tried reason instead. "Bucky's a professional. You can't get tattooed through your shirt," Dean said with no small amount of love. He added, "Anybody looks at you funny, I'll floor 'em."

"Okay." Castiel inhaled a breath to summon courage and stripped in the most timid way possible. Dean would have been lying if he said it didn't cause his blood to pump double time.

"Okay," Dean exhaled a hot breath and took Cas' shirts. "I'll hold onto these for you."

"Whoa, whoa!" Bucky's alarmed voice rang in the air. When Cas turned to look at him, Dean saw the problem. His eyes trailed down Castiel's naked spine to the gun haphazardly hanging out of the back of his pants. Sam saw it too and ran over to Cas.

"That's pretty, uh, gangster," Sam stammered and took the gun out of Cas' pants. He hissed to his brother, "Dean, what did you teach him?"

"Not this!"

"What's the problem?" Shirtless, Castiel looked at the Winchesters curiously. "You said I could have my own weapon. I selected a weapon. What did you think I meant when I said I was prepared to protect the prophet?"

"It's okay, Cas. It's my fault. I forgot to teach you concealed carrying…" Dean's eyes caught on something bright and silver. He turned Castiel around and fished out the angel blade that was also stuffed into his pants. "How did you even sit down?"

"Uncomfortably."

Dean discreetly tucked the sword into his plaid shirt and gave Bucky a strained smile. He couldn't remember the laws on guns in the state, but he hoped they would avoid trouble. Once the weapons were off Castiel's person, Bucky eased. "You don't have a grenade up your ass or anything, do you?" Dean muttered to Cas.

"Why do you have such a fascination with my ass?" Castiel responded in a low tone. He gave Dean a scrutinizing once-over that just about beckoned Dean to explain with his hands. "No. You have removed all of my weapons."

From then on the process went smoothly. Bucky explained everything to Castiel in detail and set him up on his chair. He made sure to create as comforting an environment as possible. He turned on music and the crew discovered Bucky's tastes were almost identical to Dean's. They had a long conversation about cars, music, and guns that resulted in them building a relationship like they were old friends. Bucky admired Sam's aspirations at law school. Kevin explained what Advanced Placement was, and Castiel calmed amid the friendly conversations that transpired over him.

"It doesn't hurt too much, does it?" Dean asked. He had taken a seat in front of Cas so he could gauge all of his reactions and be there for him in case he needed support.

"Thankfully, no. There is some pain, but it is less than what I had anticipated." Castiel had become used to the needle digging into his skin by now. "But, when he goes over the center of my back, my entire spine seems to vibrate. It's odd, but not too unpleasant."

"Yup, it's the bones there," Bucky commented. "There's always more pain over bones."

"This pain is nothing compared to Crowley's hand in my midsection."

The tattoo artist's needle hesitated. Bucky shook his head. "You sure are full of surprises."

"It looks awesome," Kevin remarked. He'd been watching from near the artist's chair. "Can I take pictures?"

Kevin began before Dean allowed it. The prophet intermittently showed the fallen angel the progress that was being made and Castiel buzzed with happiness. Not only was he gaining a pair of mock wings, but he was also being protected from demons and that brought him joy. Dean was starving to hold his hand because he was also ecstatic to have a permanently demon-free Cas, but he kept his hands to himself with effort.

"It looks great." Dean's sincere, sparkling approval made Cas feel even more blissful.

"So… Is this an anniversary gift?" Bucky knew he was being intrusive, but he wanted to show acceptance. He knew there was something between them. Dean paid for the tat, he filled out the paperwork, he carried Castiel's things, he had a nearly identical tattoo, and he sat in front of Cas fretting and obviously thirsting to touch him. They hadn't been more than three feet apart from each other the entire time they'd been in his shop, and were often much closer than that. Bucky wasn't blind and he wanted to encourage them to touch if they so desired. "My girl and I got matching tats one year for our anniversary."

"Nah, they just got together," Sam answered for his mortified brother. He did so with a smirk, knowing that his comment would only embarrass Dean further.

"Oh, sorry, my mistake. You all seemed to know each other for longer than that."

"We have known each other for years," Castiel said, completely missing the point of the conversation. He had no idea to what anniversary Bucky was referring to or the importance of his statement.

"You make a good couple." Bucky grinned from ear to ear because Castiel's calm comfort and everything else about the group made him bristle with cheerfulness. As ever, Dean didn't deny the suggestions made between him and Cas, but he wouldn't confirm them either. He stood up to look at the design.

"That's some good work."

"Thank you, sir."

The imprint was clean and easy to fill with black ink. Although the design was intricate and lovely, it was not time-consuming. The lack of color made it easier for Bucky to finish quickly. When he was done he gave Castiel careful instructions for how to manage the fresh tattoo and told him to call if there were any problems. Dean left him a nice tip and they were on their way.

Castiel almost tripped over his shoes as he walked and re-read the instructions on how to care for his tattoo. They were complicated because they dealt with human things Castiel was unused to doing. "Dean, could you help me with this 'ointment' later? I can't see my own back very well…"

Kevin and Sam shared meaningful looks. Dean would help with ointment all right.

"Yeah, okay," Dean replied nonchalantly like the thought of rubbing Cas didn't excite him.

"You should kiss Cas."

Dean froze and turned to his brother, wide-eyed. "What? Sammy, what are you talking about?"

Sam shrugged and looked down at the sidewalk. He hadn't meant to blurt out what he had said, but he wouldn't take it back either. Lifting his sunglasses at last, Kevin tossed in his two cents. "There is something going on, isn't there?"

"I don't get you," Dean said to Sam. "First, you tellin' Bucky we're together…"

"But you are. And you do want to kiss Cas."

"No, he doesn't," Castiel interjected, composed, but melancholic. Dean was ashamed of him and he understood why. Cas didn't feel the need to be kissed in public or for Dean to be honest to Kevin and Sam about what they had, or didn't have. They could remain secretive, as Dean desired.

"What are you afraid of?" Sam asked Dean. "I don't care. I think it's good. Kevin doesn't care. Do you, Kevin?"

"Nah, not really." Kevin shrugged. He would have taught Cas more gay things if he had been assured of how physical their relationship was. Kevin had only begun to realize they harbored massive crushes on each other, but the events of that day had opened his eyes to the true nature of their relationship. The fact that Sam seemed to know about it sealed the deal. "You already have, right?" Kevin peered at Cas. "You made out in the firing range, right? You gave Dean that hickey."

"It wasn't in the firing range!" Dean cried defensively. He covered the hickey with his hand.

Castiel gave a vague answer to Kevin. "Presently, Dean does not desire me. It's not important. We should return to the bunker."

Cas reached for the Impala's door to take a seat in the back, but Dean stopped him, placing his hand over Castiel's. Dean desired Cas constantly and only lacked the nerve to admit it. He desired his company, his advice, his protection, and his body. He desired for Cas to look at him with less pain in his eyes, so he bent down swiftly to plant a kiss on his mouth.

"It is important." Dean wasn't ashamed of Cas. He found Cas to be perfectly imperfect and unconditionally lovable. He hadn't wanted anyone to know about them because he was paranoid their enemies would find out and use Cas against him just like they had used Jess against Sam. Love was dangerous, so he refused to even tell Cas while he was conscious for fear that the knowledge would spread. He could barely acknowledge it himself. "You are important. I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to get used because of this… not while you're more vulnerable than you've ever been."

Dean's rambling went over Castiel and Kevin's heads, but Sam understood completely. "Everyone knows. Dean, it's already happened. They're going to use him against you just like they'll use me."

"And me?" Kevin alleviated some of the seriousness.

"I know, Sammy, but – " Dean fretted.

"Is that what worries you?" Castiel asked Dean. He remembered Naomi and how she had made him kill Dean until his soul had been shattered. Sam was right. It would happen whether or not they denied their feelings. "I have the same problem. That was how Naomi controlled me… using you."

"What?" Dean gasped. "How?"

"She wanted me to kill you. She trained me to kill you and I did, so many times I lost count." Tears were preparing to fall from Castiel's tender eyes. "It was the worst of her tortures. I resisted, but I still hurt you. I wasn't strong enough…"

Everyone listening was shocked and made wretched by the revelation, but none more than Dean. He crushed Castiel to his body, disgusted by how beings could be capable of so much evil. "Shut up, Cas."

"I hurt you. I was used just like you feared."

Dean kissed Castiel's face with powerful emotion. He had been hurt horribly by what Castiel had done, both physically and psychologically. Dean had carried the pain in varying amounts up to this point. Now he finally knew the truth of it all and the truth released the vise on his heart. "I said shut up, Cas." He kissed him again and whispered, "That wasn't you."

"It'll happen again," Castiel cried from within Dean's arms. He was holding Dean back, thinking he couldn't possibly deserve to touch him at all.

"No, it won't." The prophet spoke. He had a furious expression on his face. "You said you'd protect me, but I'll protect you right back. I've got the tablet and all its secrets. We'll use it to help you."

Sam neared his brother and Cas, throwing in his support. "If we stay together, they can't beat us."

Dean grabbed his brother with fierce love and Sam joined in their hug. Sam pulled Kevin in and they huddled around Cas, clinging together because they only had each other in a world full of nightmares and wrongs.

"Promise you won't fly away this time," Dean pleaded. "You belong with us. With me."

"I promise," Castiel replied.

Family didn't end with blood. It began with ink.


End file.
